The Big One showed the power of ‘friendly protest’ – and its limitations

Extinction Rebellion’s The Big One showed that mass, peaceful protest is fun – and fundamental – in the fight against climate change. But will it ever be enough?

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On a rainy weekend in mid April, Greenpeace united with Extinction Rebellion and over 200 other organisations in London for The Big One.

It was a gathering for the whole climate movement and beyond – a chance for 60,000 people to pressure the government together to do better, and act now for people and the planet.

Areeba Hamid speaks into a microphone outside a Greenpeace branded gazebo, with UK Parliament in the background.

Areeba Hamid, Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, speaking at The Big One. © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace

Greenpeace staff, volunteers and supporters were out in force. At Activist Corner there were talks and panel discussions from Greenpeace legends on iconic actions and everything activism.

There was also a volunteer-run community tent hosting activities like collective banner making, origami and hula-hooping.

An attendee hula hooping at The Big One.
People writing on a large yellow banner laid out on a trestle table.
“It felt amazing to march with so many other groups in solidarity. The diversity of people attending in love, peace and a mutual goal of saving the planet was inspiring.”
Greenpeace volunteer Tweet this

The Big One put XR’s new tactics on show – and to the test

Extinction Rebellion or XR  – and groups associated with XR, like Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil – are known for more disruptive and confrontational climate protests. 

The Big One put XR’s change of tactics – prioritising attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks – to the test. 

When climate activists from Just Stop Oil, XR, or even Greenpeace, block roads or disrupt sporting events they’re often in the news for days, demanding government attention. 

Partly because of this, the government has started cracking down on the right to protest. Recently the courts jailed Just Stop Oil climate activists for three years for climbing a bridge.

XR’s groups became divisive and they were labelled as extremists. (But isn’t the government being a bit extreme, putting people in jail simply for caring about our collective fate in the face of the climate crisis?)

Despite the positive energy and momentum generated by The Big One, it didn’t attract the same level of media coverage. 

And the government completely ignored the demand to “end all licences, funding and approvals for new fossil fuel projects” and to set up an Emergency Citizen’s Assembly. Maybe XR didn’t expect it to, but the difference in media attention raised questions about the power of different protest tactics.

If it’s either no attention or negative attention – or even jail sentences – where is the climate movement meant to go?

The Big One was a celebration of mass climate activism

The Big One was designed to be positive, safe and inclusive, bringing people of all walks of life together. By these measures, it was a resounding success.

Such a variety of people that came to support the biggest climate protest in the UK since the pandemic. Families, doctors, scientists, religious and social justice groups from around the country descended on Westminster.

Protesters hold up a banner saying 'No Nature No Future' with Big Ben in the background.

© Kristian Buus / Greenpeace

This gathering created a brilliant atmosphere of unity. There was immense energy, creativity, and vibrance in the crowd – with marching bands and performers, banners, and costumes, and chants such as “No New Oil, No New Gas” or “Power To The People, People To The Power”. 

Smaller protests were also held outside all the major government departments, demanding they change their destructive policies. 

But the muted response from wider society left some people feeling frustrated. The Big One highlighted that friendly, non-confrontational protest tactics are simply not enough. 

As time ran out for the government to respond to their demands (no new oil and gas projects and citizens’ assemblies), XR made it clear that this was just the beginning.

Co-founder Clare Farrell said: “The government had a week to respond to our demands and they have failed to do so. Next we will reach out to supporter organisations to start creating a plan for stepping up our campaigns across an ecosystem of tactics that includes everyone from first-time protesters to those willing to go to prison.”

Tackling the climate crisis needs everyone – and a range of tactics

Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. It’s the ability to express objections and have a political voice. And protests like The Big One bring people together, inspiring them to take action and lift spirits. 

“I, and so many people I spoke to, found the event gave them a renewed boost of energy and optimism; at a time when we all need it.”
Greenpeace volunteer Tweet this

Many things we take for granted now have been achieved through protest. Like the weekend: the idea of two days off work to rest in a week was only granted in the 1930s after decades of campaigning.

Meaningful change doesn’t tend to occur from a single event. It can take generations – and a lot of different tactics. From the slavery abolitionists, women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement and LGBTQ+ rights campaigns – all have used a variety of tactics to sustain pressure and create change.

Small-scale, attention-grabbing and disruptive – and probably now illegal – protests are still much-needed. They act as an alarm bell, grabbing our attention and making it clear that something is wrong and we need to act. They are needed just as much as mass peaceful protests and political lobbying.

But nothing boosts morale and trust and unity like a mass gathering – and that’s what The Big One was all about. It brought people together. And many of these people probably would never have never been involved in more disruptive action.

Ultimately, change can only come when people stay determined, hopeful and dynamic in their tactics. And the more people working together, the better!

Ways to get involved

The climate movement is growing fast and everyone has a part to play. As well as Greenpeace’s own volunteer community, there are loads of brilliant organisations you can get involved with:

Take action with Greenpeace