A woman from the island has told iomtoday.co.im of her experience on the front line of the Extinction Rebellion in London that brought the UK’s capital to a stand still.

Dr Philippa Tomlinson was one of the hundreds of people arrested across London where the rebels grabbed the world’s attention with a series of stunts and protests.

Philippa, 64, who has lived in Ballaugh for 25 years, said that her experience in working as an ecologist, environmental archaeologist and biological records manager has shown her how vital the campaign is.

She added: ’When I started reading about Extinction Rebellion (XR), I realised straight away that I needed to be involved. 

’For a long time I have been worrying about the ecological emergency that we face, which is causing the extinction of plants and animals worldwide and which may ultimately cause out own extinction.

’We were warned of this in 1992 by 1,700 of the world’s scientists, including 104 Nobel Laureates.

’The authors of this declaration feared that humanity was "pushing Earth’s ecosystems beyond their capacities to support the web of life". 

’They described how we are fast approaching many of the limits of what the biosphere can tolerate without substantial and irreversible harm and implored that we cut greenhouse gas emissions and phase out fossil fuels, reduce deforestation, and reverse the trend of collapsing biodiversity.’

In 2017, scientists warned that ’humanity must practise a more environmentally sustainable alternative to business as usual’.

However, Philippa said that despite all warnings and well-meaning words, the work done so far has ’only scratched the surface’ of the changes we, as a species, need to make to prevent mass extinction and ecological breakdown.

She said: ’This is why I joined a local XR group in Norwich and took part in nonviolent direct action training with the group and travelled to London with the intention of being arrested.

’I have not been politically involved or carried out direct action before and I have been law abiding. I became an XR rebel because I realised that direct action is the only way to get the UK government to make the changes that are needed.’

The protests in London, while disruptive, didn’t break into violence, with a very small number of incidents being reported by the Metropolitan Police.

Philippa described being ’very apprehensive and excited’ ahead of joining the protests in Parliament Square on April 15 where she helped to create a road block and disrupt traffic in central London.

On the Wednesday evening, Philippa achieved her aim and was arrested, but praised the attitude of the police who dealt with her.

She said: ’On Wednesday afternoon a large number of police assembled in Parliament Square. It was a shock to see them arrive, a yellow mass across the square. 

’I lay in the road and they gave me three warnings that they would arrest me if I did not move. I ignored the warnings and said very little. They arrested me and warned me they would move me. 

’I was then searched and my belongings bagged up. I did not co-operate and remained lying on the road but they were gentle with me. 

’It took six officers to carry me to the police van because I resisted arrest by remaining floppy.

’I was taken into custody at Lewisham police station and spent a short time in a cell.

’At all times the police officers treated me well.

’I hugged my two arresting officers when they left me -and the custody officer when he released me the following morning.

’Our action is not against the police who have to do their job, many of them are sympathetic to our cause; they have children.’

She added that the interactions she had with the public were mainly very positive and it was amazing talking to other passionate rebels of all ages, from all over the UK, from many different walks of life.

Philippa warned that although there were already many great things being done to protect our environment, including on the island, this was not enough without ’fundamental changes’ to the way our society was organised.

She believes our economic structures need to change. We cannot carry on with the idea that infinite growth is good for the planet.

She said: ’I would like to see all governments and local authorities proclaim a climate and ecological emergency.

’They need to tell the truth and communicate the urgent need for change in all areas: agriculture, fisheries, trade, industry, finance, mining and fossil fuel dependence and stop the requirement for growth.

’There needs to be a halt in biodiversity loss and a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, not just swapping from a bad fuel to a less bad fuel or pretending that the problem is not our doing.

’All development work should be without harm to the environment and we should enact ecocide legislation. 

’Ecocide is where environmental destruction takes place in the name of development, when people are only interested in making money.

’I realise that all this sounds extreme. It needs to be.

’We may already be too late to stop the mass extinctions happening.’