Our Childrens Future / Pram Rebellion
Low risk, high impact visual action that can be done at local group level or by individual rebels.
What?
Paint a pram or buggy white (or another colour), put a printed message in it, lock it and leave it in a town, or where there is high footfall. If it isn’t removed by the authorities, retrieve it at a later time/day.
Designed to pique the general public’s inquisitive mind.
Please join the telegram chat for the Pram Rebellion - Children's Futures, for any updates, support, tips and a place you can ask questions. There may also be the opportunity for 'borrowing' ready prepared prams\buggies.
Where?
The buggies seem to be tolerated if left in a place for 2 or maybe 3 days, then you could always find another location to move your artwork to. Experience has shown they tend to be removed pretty quickly if situated in a shopping centre (private land), so try somewhere on public land.
Some buggies got media attention when they were locked in places children go - play areas\schools. These are just suggestions - you can place your artwork wherever you like.
Why?
This is a hard hitting action, designed to touch people’s hearts and engage their emotions. Children are already dying from pollution & the Climate Emergency. More children will die if we continue this current trajectory. We, XR, have a moral duty to TELL THE TRUTH. We criticise the government and the media for not telling the truth. We will not be liked for it and we may hurt some people by telling it. This is a difficult truth to tell. It still needs to be told.
Issues
We have fully considered valuable feedback from Action Circle, XR Families, XR Southampton, M&M, Arts teams & other individuals, including from Rebels who have personally experienced child bereavement. We have changed elements of this action as a result of acknowledging that people who have experienced child bereavement may have their trauma triggered by the sight of a mysterious pram. We are truly sorry to trigger anyone's pain. By carrying out this action, we are trying to avoid other families suffering the same tragic experience.
How to...
Find a pram, buggy or even car seat. Cheapest method, find an abandoned one (XR Woking found 3), or freecycle. Charity shops or eBay for those with slightly deeper pockets. Prams look best but are more expensive than buggies. You may get the Pram back after the action, but assume you won’t. Get rid of any accessories or straps that don’t need to be kept, less to paint.
We would suggest not adding any soft toys to the pram\buggy.
Painting
We believe painting your pram\buggy a white colour may look the most impactful, as it looks quite mysterious. But you are autonomous, so you can paint it any colour you like. Bright, shocking pink is also a good choice.
Important note: Perfection is the enemy of done. Yeah you could rub it all down with wet and dry paper to provide a good key for the primer. Yeah you could use masking tape to mask off each individual component. Or you could just get the job done.
Can of aerosol white plastic primer on the plastic bits, can of (usually light grey) aerosol etch primer on the metal parts. When dry, spray them again if not white with any white aerosol paint (I had some old appliance gloss white, and also some leftover white primer). Feel free to go over the edges. Worry not about drips and runs. It’s not an art competition. Cloth parts you paint with a brush – I used some matt vinyl emulsion I had left over, and also some outdoor white primer/undercoat. These will last long enough.
Messaging
This action can be used for many different messages, ideally where there is a link to children’s health and the climate and ecological emergency, eg fossil fuel or incinerator pollution.
You may find this Daily Mail (sorry!) article linking children’s health with pollution helpful:
This is an ideal action to put pressure on MPs to 'Back the Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill'. Let's make it really easy for members of the public to email their MP, by using a QR code they can scan which has a pre prepared email all ready for them to send. It's surprisingly straight forward to do - honest! You can choose to use either of the following texts, or you can adapt it/make your own, to be more specific to your location. You can choose whether to put the XR logo on, or not.
Message Option 1
MORE THAN 90% OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN BREATHE TOXIC AIR EVERY DAY (i)
ASK YOUR MP XXXXXXXXXXX TO SUPPORT THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY BILL SCAN CODE ON SMART PHONE TO SEND THEM AN E MAIL (put QR code here) OR USE:
XXXXXXXXX.MP@PARLIAMENT.UK (find your local MP's email address at www.theyworkforyou.com
#OurChildrensFuture
#PramRebellion
#CEEBill
#AirPollution
XR LOGO - you can use a sticker.
If you have been affected by this installation, please contact www.childbereavementuk.org
(i) WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION REPORT 2018
Message Option 2
'THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY (CEE)
WHAT'S REALLY AT STAKE HERE?
SCAN THE QR CODE TO EMAIL YOUR MP TO BACK THE CEE BILL.
2050 UK NET ZERO IS TOO LATE!
#PramRebellion
#CEEBill
#OurChildrensFuture
#AirPollution XR LOGO - you can use a sticker
If you have been affected by this installation, please contact www.childbereavementuk.org
Printing your message
Use a hardy surface, like old hardboard, to make the surface for the messaging. Won’t last forever outdoors, but easy to cut and drill. You could use any scrap plywood, mdf, plastic or even cardboard (although this won't last as long outdoors). Paint it. Black looks best for prams, white best for buggies and car seats. Write your message onto the board with black permanent marker, or a white paint pen, or a fine paintbrush or spray stencil. Stickers can provide XR logo. I printed the QR code and secured it under some clear reinforced tape (recommend a test first to ensure it works fine). You could also laminate it and glue or tape it on. I then sprayed some matt varnish over the lettering to give it some rain protection.
Fix the messaging board into the pram or buggy by drilling some holes and attaching with white or clear cable ties. Or you can print on a piece of A4 paper, laminate it & glue it or staple it to the pram. You can get an e mail ready QR code here (it’s surprisingly easy!):
https://www.qr-code-generator.com/solutions/email-qr-code/
You can find your MP’s contact details here
You need a bike lock to secure the pram in the target location. I’m using one of these (cheap, but can be easily cut with bolt cutters). You could also use a chain and padlock, or a D lock.
I have also attached a “public artwork” laminated disclaimer, which I will add a date to and photograph once the pram is sited. My reasoning is it makes it clear that my intention was not dumping rubbish, in the unlikely event of being identified and a potential flytipping prosecution.
Social Media
Post pictures of your prams in their locations on social media channels. Include your messaging in the text, along with any relevant hash tags to your messaging (eg #CEEBill). Share other groups and rebels posts and help amplify their messages.
Legal
Technically, as someone would have to be paid to cut the lock and remove the pram, it could be Criminal Damage. Or possibly some sort of Obstruction Of Highway, depending on location. The authorities would obviously need to identify the perpetrator (CCTV footage of it being removed from vehicle, for example).
Here is the full legal briefing on Criminal Damage:
https://informeddissent.info/criminal-damage-theft
Here is the full legal briefing on Obstruction Of The Highway
https://informeddissent.info/obstruction-of-the-highway
There is a risk. The risk is low, it is up to you to be fully informed and decide whether or not you want to take that risk by doing this action.
Action Location
It's recommended to place it somewhere which has high footfall - near shops, supermarkets, town centres, etc. We'd also recommend siting them near a light source, so passers by can read them after dark - they also look really mysterious in the dark, partially lit by street lights\lit buildings, etc.
After the action
If your pram is still there the following week, lucky you. Simply re-site at a different location. Or walk around with it on an action. Add some solar fairy lights. Take it for a walk to Parliament. The only limit is your imagination.