After much discussion and COP26 just 2 weeks away, it has been decided that Extinction Rebellion's Spring Rebellion must go ahead. As COVID-19's status in this country begins to shift from something we can beat to something we will have to live with, the team of 5 million must shift our attention back to the threat that is causing the floods up and down the country, wild fire's that threaten our homes, the drying up and polution of our fresh water, the mass species extinction everywhere and the ongoing suffering of so many people within our society.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Aotearoa, Animal Rebellion Aotearoa and Te Waka Hourua will gather in Te Whanganui a Tara, from October 23-28 for a week of community building and direct climate justice action to demand the establishment of Te Tiriti based Climate assemblies and radical system transformation in response to the growing threat to all life on this planet.

"Animal agriculture and the exploitation of animals cause outbreaks such as Covid 19, with new deadly viruses popping up all over the world as a result of our addiction to animal products. Yet global authorities fail to not only acknowledge these causes, but also fail to change the systems that facilitate and allow such injustices in the first place . The so-called NZ government must tell the truth of the multiple crises we face and the systems causing them, to make way for the radical transformation that is needed, like a just and sustainable plant-based food system" - Elin Arbez - Animal Rebellion Aotearoa Spokesperson

"Our Government has shown the lengths it is willing to go to protect people - steps that were unimaginable pre-Covid. To date, Covid 19 has taken the lives 4,873,805 people and counting. 28 of them from here in Aotearoa. They all had whanau who felt the pain of their loss. The question, now, has to be how does our government respond to the wave that is the Climate, Ecological, and Social crisis that has the potential of wiping out nearly all life on this planet?" said Jen Olsen member of Extinction Rebellion Ōtepoti

"2021 was our warmest winter ever recorded here in Aotearoa. As the planet continues to get hotter, the warmest winter ever will be the coolest in years to come. How are today's systems going to survive in a world no longer capable of supporting those systems. I think the only option now is to embrace radical transformation before it is forced upon us" said Te Wehi Ratana, Father of three, member of Te Waka Hourua and Extinction Rebellion Aotearoa.

We will be enforcing strict covid protocols during the event including, mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, record keeping and zero participation for anyone trying to join from an area under level 3 restriction.

"We are taking covid 19 seriously and understand the risk and complexities of trying to do such an event at this time, but the Climate, Ecological, and Social crises must be brought back into the conversation. Our government needs to act now before it is too late. We have a detailed Covid strategy to ensure not only our activists but our whole community is kept safe. As long as covid restrictions allow, we will be hitting the streets of Pōneke to bring our attention back to the crises that threaten all life on this planet" said Rachael Andrews, mother, grandmother of three, Extinction Rebellion Papaioea.

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