Town’s climate group slams own organisation for praising King Charles

A town’s climate change group has hit out at its own organisation on social media after it praised a King Charles book quote.King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s Extinction Rebellion (XR) group took to X this week to slam XR UK after it made a post which applauded the monarch saying he knows “the plight of the planet”.The organisation’s post featured a quote from Charles’ book ‘Harmony’ and initially related to a mass occupation called Upgrade Democracy, which is set to go ahead at Windsor Great Park in Berkshire from August 30 until September 1.

However, it has gained the attention of various activist groups this week.XR King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s comment, which was posted on Tuesday, July 9, read: “Hey besties. You could just delete this. Colonialism and monarchy are not principles we want as part of our rebellion. Charles is not an ally, he’s part of the problem. Let’s not simp for the boot.”Other groups including the Organisation of Radical Cambridge Activists (ORCA) backed the town’s XR by sharing resources on Charles’ politics claiming he is a supporter of ecofascist ideologies (a belief in a totalitarian government that requires individuals to sacrifice their interests to the well-being of the ‘land’).

Hey besties. You could just delete this. Colonialism and monarchy are not principles we want as part of our rebellion. Charles is not an ally, he’s part of the problem. Let’s not simp for the boot.— XR King’s Lynn & West Norfolk (@xrkingslynn) July 9, 2024

XR King’s Lynn and West Norfolk has stood by the comment and said: “We must promote our actions without forgetting the history and context of the monarchy. “Charles Windsor’s role is very the same role which led the British empire, he supports colonial conservation methods today which take land from indigenous people.“Addressing the climate and nature crises requires us to challenge unjust hierarchies of classism, racism, and privilege which are the root of the crisis. “The King is an embodiment of these hierarchies.”However, Extinction Rebellion UK says that it welcomes the local groups’ views on Upgrade Democracy.“Contrary to how some sections of the media have been spinning it, our mass occupation at Windsor is neither targeting nor supporting the King or the monarchy. “It is a starting point for a national conversation about why our broken politics and media are not addressing the climate and nature emergencies with the necessary urgency – and how a citizen’s assembly can be a solution to some of these problems.“We recognise and take on board the points King’s Lynn XR is raising and will be addressing them in future press releases.”