Banbury grandmother who was arrested during climate change protests said she would do it again to get her message across

A Banbury grandmother was arrested during the latest London climate change protests said she would risk arrest again in order to get her message across.

Rachel Payne was one of many local members of Extinction Rebellion who made the journey down to the capital, playing an active part in the campaign.

Rachel, who has five children and five grandchildren, was arrested outside Parliament under Section 14, and after a two hour journey to the police station was detained for six hours.

She said: "I hope my arrest, among so many, will serve to show that we, as a group, are deeply committed to do all we can to raise Government and public consciousness of the rapidly accelerating climate crisis.

"I went to London on August 31 to join the start of the interfaith ‘Vigil for the Earth’, which continued 24/7 all week at Parliament as a ‘calming’ centre.

"I had previously been involved in rebellions in April and October last year and the hunger strike in December. My purpose was again to take part in non-violent direct action with other XR members."

"Minds need to change radically, more than happened with Covid-19, to help avert even more global tipping points, death and suffering.

"This is what I hope and pray. I’ll continue to rebel in any way I can for this, and I am prepared to face arrest again if necessary."

Maria Huff, also from Banbury, took part in the protests. She said: "I took leave from work and went down by train every day but one. Now it’s over I miss it - I miss the sense of connection with a group of people who are also focused on addressing what I see to be the biggest issue in my lifetime.

"XR Banbury put together a project to provide a flexible banner, stringing together large letters from a pack. On the middle Saturday we used it to give messages about a free press, about citizens' assemblies, and on a march to support Indigenous activists in Brazil. Everyone who saw our messages, and then realised that our home-made letters could say nearly anything, thought it was brilliant - XR Banbury caused quite a stir.

"The low point was seeing all the 'corpses' (volunteers laid out in rows, covered by white sheets) - and hearing from doctors and nurses in XR, about the numbers of dead there are, and could be - unless we turn this around fast. That was very moving."

A key aim of the rebellion was to flag up the tabling of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE). Jo Taylor of Banbury XR said: "I'm not a criminal - I'm a concerned and worried human being who wants to see deep and meaningful action."

Looking back on his week in London, Banbury rebel Jim Smith said: "Stewarding marches and actions is harder work than I expected and I was exhausted at the end but it was worth it. XR's actions are being talked about in the press which is raising the level of discussion on climate emergency which in turn will get some things done about it - not as fast as I would hope

but still progress."

Banbury mother and daughter Liz and Tilly Vere both felt their time in London was well spent. Liz, a teacher, said: "Here’s the thing about XR: however serious the message is, they will always find joy in the way they express it."

Tilly added: "People will often try to say that individuals can’t make the world a better place, but when I was in London, I felt that we had the energy to make that possible."