Red Het Sterrebos activists train new activists. In this way they want to prepare new climate activists for what awaits them if they also want to take action.
“The main thing is that they know what the consequences are, what to expect if you are arrested, if you are fined, or what will and will not appear on your statement of conduct.” says Niko van Eyck (alias), who has extensive experience in campaigning.
Presentation
With the aid of a projection screen on which a presentation is shown, fifteen young people are explained why there is an action in the Sterrebos. But also what they can expect when they want to participate. This can be about your rights during a police interrogation or about tips on how to deal with the stress that comes with campaigning.
borders
Like the activists who provide the training, many participants do not come from the immediate vicinity of Sterrebos. That doesn’t matter: “After all, the climate problem knows no boundaries”, says Sunny Ceder (alias). She comes from Romania and studies in Maastricht. “Nature doesn’t care about the boundaries that we have come up with. I think that if you want to commit to nature here, that is equivalent to committing to nature everywhere.”
guide
Bok Tor (alias) also takes that position. She comes from the north and spent three days in a tree in the Sterrebos. Although she is disappointed that she had to leave involuntarily, she still feels combative. “I had a lot of energy to move forward with the campaign.” And she does that now by introducing others to activism, helping to make banners and giving climbing training. “We think it is especially important what happens to the forest in the Netherlands. We have very little forest left that we cannot agree that forest is being cut at all. So not in Limburg either.”
Prejudices
The activists are aware of the prejudices that exist about them. “But I just have a job.” says Bok Tor. “It is sometimes difficult to combine that with this, but I think it is worth it. My boss actually likes that I do this in my spare time.” Van Eyck sees himself as a professional activist. “I think a criminal record is less of a problem than that of the climate.” The activist already has a fairly decent criminal record because of his activism. However, he also studies at university. “Plant sciences, towards the agricultural side. A very interesting theme in the Netherlands by the way.”
New promotions
New actions are planned next weekend, which exactly those are, the activists of Red het Sterrebos do not tell. At least some people are wiser after the training, such as Sunny. “I learned a lot! Especially about what my rights are, and also by listening to other people’s stories about how things work here in the Netherlands.”