Stepping out of Comfort Zones and into a Rebellion: on Establishing Personal Connections and Being Arrested
My experience as part of Animal Rebellion, throughout the two-week rebellion in October 2019 and beyond, has been one of immense and profound personal transformation. What initially started with a struggle against my doubts and fears, of unfamiliar social situations and potential conflicts with political and legal authorities, ended with a cherished group of new friends and an amusing story of being arrested. But how did this transformation take place?
I had been following Extinction Rebellion closely throughout their International Rebellion and Summer Uprising in April and July 2019 respectively, albeit from the safe distance of my social media feed. Having previously attended the odd Youth Strike here and there, I was becoming increasingly inspired by Extinction Rebellion’s actions and eager to get involved in the larger climate movement. But despite my growing enthusiasm, I was, admittedly, afraid. Joining a rebellion would be a big step outside of my comfort zone — was I ready for that? A further hindrance also came in the form of having no personal connections within the movement; who could I turn to when I needed support?
It was not until the formation of Animal Rebellion that I first found my footing within the climate justice movement. Having already established a network within the animal justice movement, Animal Rebellion, which bridges both movements, made the step into climate justice much easier. In addition, I began to form a friendship with a person on Instagram who had recently joined Animal Rebellion as a full-time volunteer. Their emboldening and insightful perspective into this newly formed organisation was all the more inspiring; this would turn out to be the personal connection that I needed in order to take that initial step outside of my comfort zone and into a rebellion.
On Thursday 10th October, I took the plunge and caught the coach down to London from Leeds. I spent this journey preparing for the worst-case scenarios; at this point, I had no intention of being arrested, but I made sure to research my legal rights and understand the procedures of an arrest in case I ever met such a fate. The plentiful resources provided by Animal Rebellion made this an easy and informative process, reassuring me that I would be fully supported throughout a potential arrest. Knowing that Animal Rebellion would always have my best interests in mind helped calm my nerves and increase my confidence that I was doing the right thing.
Once I had arrived in London, I headed towards the Animal Rebellion campsite in Trafalgar Square, where I had been greeted by my friend. I am often a very introverted person that struggles to adapt to new social situations, but within only a few minutes I had been introduced to so many lovely people who would soon become my closest friends for the rest of the rebellion and beyond. They briefed me, with a comforting air of pride and tranquillity, on how the previous days had gone and asked me how I was feeling. I was instantly enthused by their positive evaluation of the rebellion thus far and relaxed by the community I was quickly forming with others; I was no longer uneasy, but rather eager to take part in the actions planned over the coming days.
The first action I participated in was a big one — the disruption outside Billingsgate Fish Market on the morning of Saturday 12th October. This was not only my first taste of rebellion, but also posed the highest risk I would have of being arrested throughout the two weeks, so I was full of anxiety throughout my clandestine journey to the meeting point, on the other side of London. But once I had assembled with the group, the mood turned towards one of peace and poignance. Upon arriving outside Billingsgate, we sang songs hand-in-hand and shared open letters and speeches with the workers of the fish market; our nonviolent approach could not have been any more sincere.
Even as the police began arresting people who were supposedly breaching Section 14 (a condition now ruled as unlawful by the High Court), the atmosphere remained peaceful, with everybody showing love and gratitude for those being lifted away by police officers. This struck a chord with me; stirred by the selflessness of those putting the cause above themselves, I thought that if I, too, were to be arrested, I would accept that. And so I was.
But what — only a few hours prior — had been a genuine fear, had by now started to fade away. Here I was, surrounded by hundreds of like-minded people, journeying along various different paths, but ultimately with the same vision in mind. Teenagers, mothers, fathers, grandparents; we were all together, demanding change to the toxic systems that have led to the increasing fragility of our planet, of its ecosystems and all of those for whom it is home. We were all together, like any ordinary person may be, fighting to ensure our future survival.
My experience of being inside a police cell was, surprisingly, rather positive. I was privileged enough to be treated respectfully and with considerable care. And I must say, after a couple nights sleeping on the paved ground of Trafalgar Square, the option of a cushioned bed was certainly appealing — it provided the best sleep I had had in days. Even throughout the hours of boredom, I enjoyed the occasional humour which the custody staff brought with cups of coffee: “That’ll be 40p” they banter with me, “but you took my money away at the desk, it better still be there when I’m out!” Thankfully, it was.
Spending a short amount of time in custody also brought me some perspective. Whilst I was reading my book on animal rights within the police cell, I thought about the billions of land animals that are kept in confinement and slaughtered, as well as the trillions of marine animals that are caught in nets, each year. I would only be kept here for 8 hours, but they would face captivity their entire lives; my small personal sacrifice was, in fact, miniscule compared to the suffering which the victims of our toxic agricultural industries are forced to endure, in conditions a thousand times worse than the ones I found myself in.
Once I had been released, I was warmly greeted outside by a group from Animal Rebellion who had organised arrestee support to ensure my wellbeing. As hugs and chocolate were exchanged, I was once again settled by the ever-growing compassion of those around me. The experience of being arrested was yet another opportunity to form deep personal connections within the Animal Rebellion community, and I came away with great friendships with those who were in cells alongside me.
As I have said, Animal Rebellion has been an experience of transformation and empowerment for me, on both the political and personal level. What started as a struggle with anxiety has developed into an incredibly rich network of close friends, with whom we could all turn to for reassurance and comfort. This regenerative culture within Animal Rebellion is integral to its success, creating momentum for both the individual and the organisation as a whole. The more the movement grows, the more we can put pressure on governments and policymakers to shift towards a sustainable and just plant-based food system, the most effective in tackling the impending climate and ecological catastrophes. But this can only happen if we, as individuals, support each other’s wellbeing. And no matter how great one’s doubts or unease may be, when entering into any new social situation, let alone a rebellion, these will ultimately dissolve. Within Animal Rebellion, you can be reassured that you are not alone and that you are fully supported by each and every one of us.
