Disgustation, Dancing with Death & IMARC

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Yarra Promenade South Wharf was the glorious setting last night for an XR double bill. The aim was to draw attention to the nefarious International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) which - in case you have been on the moon - has been on in Melbourne this week.  

At the Discobedience event climate activists, by dancing with death, (above) highlighted the terrifying future that awaits us if agendas like those of the conference are not thwarted: 'We will be dancing with death to draw attention to the deaths of the Indigenous people across the world and the ongoing death of our planet due to the actions of these mining companies.'

As IMARC delegates sat down to their banquet in Palladium at Crown Casino another group of elegantly-attired diners nearby were looking forward to experiencing an al fresco Disgustation.
 

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The Degustation organisers were able to obtain advance copies of the Palladium menu, so the al fresco diners were treated to a sneak peak at what the IMARC diners had to look forward to. Passers-by, to whom the menus were distributed by waitstaff (below), found them full of gastronomical surprises.

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The Starter was 'a platter of rare Great Barrier Reef fish with twists of bleached coral and a crown-of- thorns starfish glaze'. The main courses included 'high-grade black coal garnished with sun-dried bees'. And for greedy delegates there was a delicious concoction of heat-stressed berries on a bed of exotic weeds available for dessert.

In solidarity with their IMARC neighbors, the Disgustation diners agreed to sup on a dish featuring steel wool. I don't think Audrey (below) looked too happy at the prospect.

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Meanwhile further along the Promenade the Discobedience was well underway.
The dancers' evening attire, covered with blood and signage, might have seen better days and they were sometimes encumbered with weighty accessories, but nothing could undermine the enthusiasm of swing fans dancing to challenge death. 

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Passers by and restaurant customers certainly appreciated the show and the contact with roving activists too.

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There was also a 'die-in' at Discobedience. Greta Thunberg's recorded message sounded particularly portentous in the waning river light.

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Here are the Discobedience crew back on their feet (or at least most of them are):

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What a night it was.
I was particularly stuck by the contribution of the outriggers. Those opting to mingle with the crowds and missing out on the dancing at the Discobedience, and the others, encased in Disgustation sandwich boards, spending their evening handing out menus and missing the meal. (Wise move!) Rosie (below) is one such person, who concluded her time was well spent when a conference delegate from India stopped to talk and seemed receptive to her views. 

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 Here are more of those sandwich boards (complete with seagulls). Perhaps they are waiting for you?:

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XR Spring Rebellion: Blockade IMARC 'Dress Rehearsal'

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I have a confession to make. I was a no show at the XR protest outside the BP building in the Melbourne CBD this morning.  Despite my good intentions.

I was hanging out to go, to help convey to Australia's biggest coal producer that its days are numbered. And via today's dress rehearsal to put BP on notice that the blockade planned for the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Melbourne (28 -31 October) is going to be a whopper.

I knew there was a 7.30 start this morning, but as the protest was scheduled to finish around noon I reckoned a 9.30 arrival was safe. Wrong! This was the scene that greeted me on arrival at the BHP building:

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Luca (left) had miscalculated too. The security guard was helpful, explaining that we had missed the protest, which had only just ended. But he had no idea where the activists were heading next. Disconsolate, we wandered down to the intersection, where we ran into 2 other latecomers:

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After a  few turns around the intersection, and no luck finding the protestors, we decided to make our way to base camp at Carlton Gardens. And this proved a very good move.

Luca, who is new to XR, got to meet Jane Morton, a spokesperson for XR, who plays a primary role liaising with the media:

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I got to soak up the atmosphere of the camp, home to so many activists and their families this very big week. It was great to get to talk with some of them. There has been some rain, and the weather has been changeable, so camping out hasn't always been easy, especially at the end of long sessions of protesting or blockading. But peoples' spirits seemed high, the setting is glorious, and the services are in place for those needing medical or emotional support.

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The XR Spring Rebellion has a further two full days to run, so if you haven't done so yet, get on down. I can recommend Carlton Gardens as a good place to start.

And one thing I know for sure is that at the IMARC Blockade later this month, I will be first to arrive!