Photos credit Will Dickson

   October 24th, 2023, Climate activists from Climate Defiance, Extinction Rebellion, Third Act and Scientist Rebellion created chaos at the Natural Gas Forum held in DC. Activists entered the building, chanting and singing, until they were physical removed, and then managed to block the vehicle of Assistant Geoffrey Pyatt, Assistant Secretary of State. The blockade lasted nearly an hour.

   Klea, 19, with Climate Defiance said in a speech, “In that building is the assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources of the United States, Geoffrey Pyatt. Biden has said he has practically declared a climate emergency yet Geoffrey Pyatt is down there with gas industry executives to sell more gas he's selling away my future he's selling everybody’s future and he's killing us and he is downstairs. We’re here to let them know that they will not do this in peace. You’re in here thinking can sell out our future Geoffrey, we know you're in there. You're killing us.”

   Ali Hadjarian, PHD and spokesperson for Scientist Rebellion said, "Given the consensus of scientists and agencies around the world that fossil fuel use must end NOW, it's absurd that the industry is gathering at conferences like this one to figure out how they can keep profiting off of the destruction of people and the planet," said Ali Hadjarian, Ph.D. (he/him), a spokesperson for Scientist Rebellion. "The science is clear: methane is damaging our health and accelerating our descent into climate chaos. Even the industry's so-called 'solutions' like renewable natural gas and gas certifications are just more hoaxes to delay climate action. Methane's time is up. The gas industry must accept this rather than invest in lies and stranded assets."

For more information, check out XR DC's Press Release, here.