Most were not yet aware of the exact target, but climate justice and mass civil disobedience were promised - so people stood out in the cold with soaking shoes and listened carefully to the instructions.Slowly, the crowd grew bigger, as personalities such as Peter Kalmus and Rose Abramoff with Scientist Rebellion, Lisa Fithian, Bad-Ass Grandma, and many more joined the ranks. Many were going to be first timers for arrest for climate. Some were seasoned veterans from Occupy Wallstreet, or before. All had the common purpose, to raise the awareness and put pressure on the establishment for climate justice.
   As editor-in-chief, it was my plan to not be arrested on this day, but support the rebels who would be take the risks. The target was announced, the Federal Reserve Building.
When you are marching and singing through the streets, and don’t know the area very well, time goes by very quickly. It wasn’t long before we were at the Fed Building, the police following us the whole way. Along the way, police ordered protesters out of the streets, and threatened with arrests. But when we arrived at the Fed, that’s when arrests really started.

   Two or three at a time, climate protesters were zip tied and taken away to police busses and vans around the corner, to be taken to the station. This editor-in-chief also committed to arrest, being taken in after snapping a few photos for the paper. Five hours later, I was out and enjoying pizza. In an hour, Peter was debuting a new film, “Arresting Science.” It seemed appropriate, so I went there and watched the film.

   After the film was over, Bill McKibben and Peter Kalmus gave a Q/A. It wasn’t the normal kind of Q/A, as Peter let us know that his job is more at risk than ever due to his getting arrested and that Rose Abramoff had also lost her job due to climate protest.

  I had a chance during the Q/A to ask Peter about the recent Stockholm Resilience Centre update - which has 6 planetary boundaries now being crossed. It also features a massive update to the climate, where radiative forcing is included. This isn't exactly making headlines - so it's strange. Peter says that although climate scientists are scared, it's often hard to express what's happening in their work, and getting into the streets to get heard is sometimes not an option. He didn't go into detail about the radiative forcing, but he mentioned it earlier in the talk that he is studying that as part of his work at NASA. 

   This is climate week in NYC - a whirlwind of sacrifice, emotion, and triumph. See you on the streets. (Or at the meetings).

Join the Summer of Heat in NYC

The clock is ticking. That’s why The Summer of Heat, is taking joyful, relentless nonviolent direct action to end fossil fuel financing. Wall Street is bankrolling the coal, oil and gas companies that are polluting our communities and killing our planet. The Summer of Heat is set on stopping them. The Summer of Heat is going hard all summer long. Week after week. Month after month. The Summer of Heat is taking the party to the streets and won't stop.

Join the March on the DNC in Chicago

We are a coalition of organizations bringing our demands to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024!

• 12PM Monday August 19 - Union Park 1501 W. Randolph St
• 5PM Thursday August 22 - Union Park 1501 W. Randolph St