As arrests related to the Extinction Rebellion protests this week continue to grow with hundreds being charged, there’s a growing risk of individual demonstrators incurring large legal bills. Crowdfunding is helping XR rebels in local groups across the country raise critical funds.
Extinction Rebellion and its members have been running a series of protests across the country throughout October. One of their previously stated aims is to turn the criminal justice process into an opportunity to raise public and political awareness of the climate emergency.
The protests have been peaceful, and the reporting indicates that those arrested (by and large) actively set out to be. The legal costs of defending a charge can quickly mount up. Legal Aid isn’t guaranteed, and knowing your options is really important when mounting a defence!
The central XR legal fund is here and you can gain access to all of the local group pages raising money through this portal.
How Crowdfunding can help
Crowdfunding - particularly for this high profile and well supported cause - is a great way for those involved to ensure that they can fund their defence appropriately, and protect the right to protest in this way.
Extinction Rebellion name crowdfunding as one of the best ways to mitigate any legal costs incurred through participation in their demonstrations. They have guidelines on their website for how to crowdfund appropriately, and any funding campaign should be prepared with the advice and input of an instructed lawyer.
Through a platform like CrowdJustice, individuals can raise any amount, and the funds can be used to cover both direct legal fees, and to cover additional costs which may be incurred through the process. We already work closely with many of the law firms recommended by Extinction Rebellion, and have successfully supported the fundraising for hundreds of similar legal challenges.
Crowdfunding is ideal for these kind of widely publicised issues, as well as smaller scale demonstrations. We’ve supported successful fundraising for issues ranging from the UK’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia to defending the right to protest against fracking and oil companies.
Get in touch
Through our funding platform, we provide everyone with the ability to raise funds for any legal matter, big and small, public and private. Check out more on how CrowdJustice works here.
If you’re affected by this issue, as a member of Extinction Rebellion, a lawyer advising their client, or an interested party, and you think CrowdJustice could help fund your legal costs, please click here to register your interest in starting a campaign page. Just fill out your details and click “create your campaign” and we will be in touch.
Need Funding?
Questions? Get in touch: [email protected].