Red Rebels Toronto History

In Toronto, the catalyst for our movement, a lifelong anarchist and artist brooke lydbrooke, first sent our founder, Jane Adams, inspiring photos of the UK Red Rebel Brigade. Both Jane and brooke were captivated by their stunning visuals. 

Jane then engaged in discussions with others, leading to the formation of our working group, which includes Susan Harris, Susan Mayrand, Caitlin Smith, Roberta Tevlin, Jane Davidson Neville, Christine Dunbar, and Jane Adams. As the saying goes, 'Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed women to change the world.' 

Christine generously offered her clubhouses: her apartment for meetings, the party room for costume making and rehearsals, and her country schoolhouse for retreats and planning sessions focused on community engagement. 

Our mentor, Mary Love, who had already formed a Red Rebels group in Hamilton, arrived as an angel of support, sent to us by our First Friend, Gail Greer! Mary believed in our mission, offered incredible encouragement, and now performs with us in Toronto. 

She connected us with the incredible photo artist Martin Reis, allowing us to see ourselves through his imaginative lens. 

Initially, we wondered whether our red costume might be misinterpreted as an unwanted take on the Red Dress Movement, which honors the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and girls lost due to gender-based violence. Seeking advice, a Métis leader in Hamilton shared, 'Just go for it. Don't wait around getting permission. Your job is to get out there and try to change minds and win over people.' 

Since then, we have been embraced at Indigenous-led protests, demonstrating our commitment to Indigenous solidarity. 

'After participating in the 2023 climate protest and rally in support of Grassy Narrows, the Red Rebels were invited to return in 2024. We gathered in front of the Henry Moore sculpture outside the AGO to offer tableaux of encouragement to the marchers as they passed. The experience was thrilling as Indigenous Leaders approached and expressed their gratitude and excitement for our presence. The intensity of emotions surged as the marchers walked by—the depth of sorrow and outrage for the injustices against their territory, the solidarity felt for their protest, and the reverence for life echoed by the beating of the drums and the chanting of traditional singers.' 

THIS WEBSITE: 

Thanks to Jane A for her creative force and endless love of the Reds. Thanks to every Red Rebel for their lovely contributions, especially Susan H and Valerie for their vision!

Red Rebels Toronto emerged from a unique set of conditions, inspired by the mother ship, The Red Rebels Brigade UK, founded by Doug Francisco, a visionary artist with a diverse background in theatre, circus, music, and street performance. This organization is a significant part of the climate protest movement, emphasizing community engagement and Indigenous solidarity. 

Some of their impactful actions include: 

JOIN US AS WE DRAW A RED LINE AROUND THE WORLD 

https://redrebelbrigade.com/

FUNERAL FOR NATURE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Ea0QuyDHk

THE SEA RISING AND SO ARE WE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7DbR9VY9E

The Red Rebel Brigade officially came into being in response to the climate crisis, aligning with the Extinction Rebellion movement during their London uprising. 

What started as a spontaneous performance quickly became an iconic symbol of resistance, resonating with global audiences. Today, Red Rebel Brigades have formed in cities around the world, championing the values of resistance, beauty, and activism.

I (Jane) thank everyone involved in the Red Rebels movement for what has become a rich and exciting part of the Toronto climate culture and my life! I had no idea of this enormity when I helped found Red Rebels Toronto in 2023. 

Try this: get dressed in an exotic, memorable, and bizarre outfit with weird makeup. Do this with 8 - 12 friends, each one as unique and creative as the concepts of Red Rebelism and Direct Action. You will see that THIS is the secret to Action Conquers Fear, especially in our climate protest efforts. 

There IS some secret, loving ingredient that attracted each of us to doing this, which lies at the heart of our community engagement and why we persevere, ambitiously seeking new ways to offer the best of what we've got to the community fighting fossil fuels and promoting Indigenous solidarity.

Each Red Rebel is somewhat unusual, in all the best ways... funny, brave, dedicated, and beautiful. Their characters and collective efforts truly illuminate my life and the essence of Toronto activism.

Douglas Francisco is the British artist, performer, and musician who founded the Red Rebel Brigade with Justine Squire in 2019 for the Extinction Rebellion protests in London, which have become a significant part of the climate protest landscape. 

Doug Francisco may be a creative director - an actor and a circus ringmaster - but he's also the man who introduced a new form of collective protest to our streets. In April 2024, 300 people came together in Bath, UK, adorned in red gowns and white faces, to hold a Funeral for Nature through the streets of the city. This event was part of a broader movement, joining thousands of Red Rebels around the world who silently protest against the harm humankind is inflicting on our planet, emphasizing community engagement and Indigenous solidarity in their efforts.

In Doug's words, "We divert, distract, delight, and inspire the people who watch us. We come to support the arrest-ables and to de-escalate confrontational situations," highlighting the essence of Toronto activism and the importance of peaceful yet impactful demonstrations.

An important factor in our getting started was The Furies in Kingston, similar to the Red Rebels, whose activism is driven by a shared passion for climate protest and Indigenous solidarity, which began in 2023.  

A warm and friendly reinforcement factor came from our collaboration focused on community engagement. Conversations back and forth, a field trip to Kingston, and a promenade along the Kingston waterfront, in costume, solidified that we were not alone in our quest for change!  

We have great memories and enormous gratitude. Some of their performances include spoken word poetry and accompanying music that resonate deeply with our cause. One such performance concludes with these powerful words:  

These are Furies from the centre of the earth who rally you to action  

they are red with the blood of all species  

they are sirens of the earth  

their minds and hearts aflame  

It is time time time time time  

PREPARE YOURSELF TO DO ALL THAT MUST BE DONE!  

we are one, all are one  

together together together  

now now now now now . . . . .

Another very welcome resource in Toronto activism, particularly for the Red Rebels Toronto, was the experience shared by the Hamilton Red Rebels. They had disbanded in 2020, but Mary Love - one of their founders - provided us with invaluable advice and encouragement.  

Here, Mary explains some of their highlights:  

"XR Hamilton (Ontario) functioned from 2015-2020. A Red Rebel Brigade of 10 - 12 members formed within the group. We initiated our journey with a Supercrawl Street Festival, which featured a funeral procession and interactive ceremony for Mother Nature/Earth in 2019. The XR Indigenous Affinity Group continued to meet throughout lockdowns, focusing on community engagement, learning to decolonize ourselves, and supporting the Wet’suwet’en and 1492 Landback Lane struggles in a spirit of Indigenous solidarity."  

"In August 2021, we had the honor of leading the Unity Rally march (photo above) to protest the City’s intransigence regarding the John A. Macdonald statue. Community members physically hauled down the statue that afternoon, demonstrating unity with our First Nations neighbors! Their families had all suffered inter-generational trauma under John A. Macdonald's residential school system, which aligns with our commitment to climate protest and social justice."