Climate Strike Preston, Lancashire 20 Sep 2019

The most uplifting of days, made lovely by all those in this video... we went from where this video starts at Preston railway station to the square where we talked, played music, discussed issues and as a community - enjoyed the feeling of empowerment that being amongst so much beautiful determination, joy and peaceful action brought with it.

Then we went on to Lancashire County Council where peacefully the young campaigners went in to ask if ONE PERSON from the Council could come and acknowledge our presence, acknowledge our reasons for being there and perhaps say they might act in some way... but alas, almost in their enitrity, Council staff humiliated and shamed themselves. Their behaviour was for the most part, ignorant, rude and emarassing to watch. In the cold, clean light of youthful eyes and the hope they brought with them - LCC staff looked like juveniles with bad attitudes.

I can't describe how appalling it was when they replaced receptionists with security guards, placed police at barriers and refused to interact at all with this small, peaceful, happy group of young climate strikers taking part in a global event of historic importance and necessity.

Then came Lancashire Police in heavy boots, ridiculous numbers and equipped with 'Evidence Gatherers' to intimidate the young strikers and give them a sense of wht it will feel like to be criminalised for your activism. The Police Liason Officers (in blue) - achieved nothing of note and nothing to be proud of - their interactions were futile and they did nothing to make the situation better... allowing the influx of the meaner looking cops and evidence gatherers, refusing to assist a young crying child aged 9 who urgently needed the toilet and constantly trying to tell young strikers what they could and couldn't do - when the information they were providing wasn't true at all. They treated them like they were fools - rather than young Lancashire people in need of adult assistance at a time of environmental emergency.

I was bereft for how it ended... it started with such beautiful promise and could easily have been the best damned protest on the planet if ONE PERSON had walked out of the elevator at LCC and said ...
"I get it, thanks for caring, I'll see what more can be done."

... I GUARANTEE that ONE PERSON would have been cheered and admired... and we'd have left with smiles. INSTEAD... many campaigners now plan to returnto LCC Monday 3:30pm to see if that ONE PERSON exists yet... and if not, there's Tuesday 3:30pm, Wednesday 3:30pm etc.

To all who came - it was a huge honour to be in your divine company