In July, a group of 18 Congressional aides took nonviolent direct action against Democratic party leadership. They staged a sit-in in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office and demanded climate action. 6 were arrested.
The protesters were backed by a letter to President Biden initialed by 165 Congressional aides. The aides’ combined tactics helped revive the left-for-dead Build Back Better bill, which was passed into law as the Inflation Reduction Act.
Another group of climate activists took nonviolent direct action in July, blocking traffic on Washington D.C.’s Beltway by sitting on it. The group, Declare Emergency, wants President Biden to declare a climate emergency, which he has resisted. White House staff are apparently worried about how it might affect the midterms.
Declare Emergency’s protest drew sneering coverage from Fox News troglodytes. It also drew praise from friends and colleagues.
Declare Emergency is affiliated with UK-based Extinction Rebellion (XR) — a group that didn’t exist five years ago. Now XR’s mailing list tops 200,000, according to co-founder Roger Hallam. XR, Declare Emergency, Just Stop Oil, and other grassroots groups are turning the volume up in October. Starting tomorrow, XR will Occupy Westminster. Here’s an invitation from activist and Ph.D. candidate Alex De Koning.
Declare Emergency has announced its intent to block D.C. traffic again. The group’s expectation-defying training sessions are a rebuttal to those who would smear them as violent criminals. Still, the risks are real. The July 4th protesters are facing charges and released a statement today.
Activists in these and affiliated groups worldwide should be proud.
Declare Emergency’s October plans include a mobilization call on the 20th.