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Wrap Up — Stop While We Can

On November 23, we stopped normality in the center of Lisbon, in a combative, vibrant civil resistance action (*) rooted in a deep sense of community and solidarity. For five hours, we broke the indifference to the climate crisis and put the urgency for everyone to join climate resistance at the center of public discussion.

(*) all the information about the preparations for this day HERE

300 people set off from Praça Paiva Couceiro down Rua Morais Soares, making this more than just another ordinary Saturday. Among energetic chants such as “Floods – We don’t want it! Fires – We don’t want it! Fascism – We don’t want it! Stop while we can!” and vibrant rhythms, the march continued interacting with those it met along the way. Small groups entered cafés and shops, bringing the debate into everyday life, and called on people in the streets to join the popular mobilization.

During one of the stops, voices were heard from members of communities in the Global South. They told their stories about the devastating effects of the climate crisis: droughts, typhoons, storms, floods, fires, infrastructure failures – attacks on life inflicted by the weapons of mass destruction that are fossil infrastructures. These impacts hit the most vulnerable hardest, but they make all of us increasingly vulnerable.

When they reached Praça do Chile, several groups sat down in the square, some attached to each other with tubes in their arms, and stopped traffic while the space was occupied by the rest of the people. A giant banner was raised from one side of the street to the other: “Governments and Corporations have declared war on humanity and the planet” and, on the back, “Dismantle the Fossil Industry.”

Around 150 people remained in Praça do Chile for three hours, during which there were some tense moments with the police. The situation remained open until the end, and the decisions on the course of the protest were taken in the delegates’ plenaries. During the occupation of the square, it was discussed how ordinary people – who did not create the climate crisis, but who have a responsibility to stop it – can stop the war declared by governments and companies against society and the planet.

While governments sign agreements that perpetuate destruction at international conferences, here in Lisbon we showed that there is an alternative path. We called on the whole of society to resist the violence of the climate crisis by taking action against fossil infrastructures – real weapons of mass destruction – and to join the fight to dismantle the fossil industry and break with the current system.

This decade is decisive. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and ensure a way of life that puts people’s well-being at the center instead of profit, we need to build a massive movement. The disarmament plan and peace plan, drawn up by civil society, is our route to changing the course of history and stopping climate and social collapse, creating a just and livable future for all people.

Next steps

+ Introductory Meeting: On December 3, there will be a meeting for new people interested in getting involved.

+ Climate Resistance Training: On December 14, Climáximo is organizing a training open to all people who want to join the fight and take direct action to dismantle the weapons of destruction aimed at people by governments and the fossil industry. The training is free, but registration is mandatory. Register here.

+ 10th National Meeting for Climate Justice: In February 2025, dozens of organizations will come together to discuss and strengthen the disarmament and peace plan.

It’s up to all of us to make sure that November 23, 2024, is remembered as the moment when Portuguese society stopped normalizing the violence of the climate crisis and decided to act and build opposition to the destruction caused by governments and companies. On that day, hundreds of people stood up and showed that it is possible to stop climate collapse – but only if we act together and now.

Add note about financing and expenses

The Stop While We Can civil resistance action has been allocated an expected budget of 5,000 euros.

Throughout the mobilisation process for the action, we undertook to raise the full amount of these costs, and to raise funds for expenses we faced through legal repression and fines.

Now that we’ve closed the accounts, we know that we’ve met the objectives we set for ourselves, and we’ve also managed, through creativity and reuse, to stay below the costs we had projected.

The expenses were:

  • Leaflets, stickers, posters and murals: 2,405 euros
  • Production of visual materials (banners, posters, etc): 300 euros
  • Other materials for the demonstration, care and well-being of all: 1,186 euros
  • TOTAL: 3,891

Donations were raised through various mobilisation and fundraising events:

  • Solidarity dinners
  • Documentary screenings
  • Board Game Nights
  • Resistance Party at Miradouro de Baixo
  • Artists’ Auction in Solidarity with Climate Resistance
  • Collection of donations at stalls and other events

Like everything we’ve done before, we decided, launched and organised the action without depending on any funding. Our analysis of where we are now tells us that all people must join Climate Resistance in order to stop the war that governments and companies have declared on society and the planet. Therefore, our resistance can only depend on us, the people who are workers, students, migrants, precarious, unemployed, mothers, children, parents and grandparents. We have to create a climate resistance movement while we can.

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