Wellington psychotherapist Rick Williment today completed his 8th day hunger striking. Rick intends to continue his hunger strike for a further 13 days. Rick is the 6th hunger striker to join a continuous daily vigil at Parliament that began on July 6th. Today is the vigil’s 67th day and the 58th day of hunger striking. The longest individual hunger strike so far lasted 21 days.

This is part of the movements E Tū for Future and Fridays for Future. E Tū for Future is demanding effective action on climate change and calls for vigils, strikes, hunger strikes, or other action, following the example of Greta Thunberg. Fridays for Future (Wellington) began at Parliament following the 100 day Parliament vigil by Ollie Langridge. Fridays for Future held weekly vigils since Ollie’s 2019 protest. Together, the groups recently marked more than 200 days of climate protest at Parliament over the last 14 months.

Everyone is welcome to come and support the hunger striker. Rick is in front of Parliament from 10am to 3pm (week days) and 10am to 2pm (weekends). Fridays for Future gather there on Fridays from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

E Tū for Future spokesperson, David Goldsmith says: “Global emissions of carbon dioxide and other climate heating gases continue increasing exponentially, despite decades of clear evidence these emissions are causing climate change, ocean acidification and mass extinction. Worldwide emissions in the 30 years since 1990 equal all emissions for the previous 200 years from the beginning of the industrial revolution. The effects of this ongoing, massive increase in emissions is yet to be fully seen, due to the lag of decades between emissions and full effect on climate and ecological systems. Yet we are clearly seeing the evidence of climate breakdown now. This all adds up to a frightening future or possibly no future at all for our children and grandchildren.”

Rick says “I implore people as an immediate priority to take time to absorb what science is telling us about the climate and ecological crises. I wanted to understand how real and dire this crisis is and so I searched and read many credible sources. I was shocked and my shock became grief and outrage. My grief and love for Earth, for generations ahead of us, is guiding my action now in hunger striking. I am acting to allow my love for all life to be felt by myself and by others.”

We recognize that Te Ātiawa/Taranaki ki Te Upoko o Te Ika has mana whenua over the location in which this action takes place, and participants hope to honour them with a sincere commitment to keeping the world safe and healthy for generations to come.

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