EXTINCTION Rebellion protesters will stage a socially distanced rally outside York Hospital on Tuesday to mark the launch of a new campaign calling for a coronavirus recovery plan that prioritises people and planet.
At a safe distance, protesters will participate in a show of solidarity with health workers to demand the rebuilding of a better society after the pandemic.
The rally will start at 2pm.
Launching on International Nurses' Day, Build Back Better is a national, cross-organisation, cross-community campaign that is pushing for a new deal to protect public services, tackle inequality in our communities, provide good jobs and create a shockproof economy, Extinction Rebellion York (XR York) said.
It added that the campaign has broad support across a range of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), charities, trade unions and community groups, including Extinction Rebellion.
A spokesperson for XR York commented: "Build Back Better is launching on International Nurses’ Day. The campaign stands with those health workers who have been on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis to demand a safe and discrimination-free workplace and a better deal for our NHS and all its workers. At York Hospital, members of XR York will join the call for a better society and stand in solidarity with the key workers who have thus far received inadequate equipment and support from our government."
The Build Back Better campaign demands that any coronavirus recovery plan should be built on five key principles:
1. Secure the health of everyone in the UK now and into the future.
2. Protect and invest in our public services.
3. Rebuild society with a transformative Green New Deal.
4. Invest in people.
5. Build solidarity and community across borders.
The XR York spokesperson said: "The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the shaky foundations of an economy glued together with precarious work, cuts, and privatisation, which puts all of our lives at risk. Extinction Rebellion and Build Back Better realise that there is no going back to the destructive ‘normality’ of society before this crisis, and instead demand urgent and sustained change to our social and economic systems."
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