(August 21, 2023) At 8:15 am, six Declare Emergency supporters went into the road and sat down to get Biden to declare a climate emergency.
They disrupted traffic on 12th Street NW and Constitution Ave NW in Washington D.C. to demand that President Biden declare a climate emergency and halt all new fossil fuel projects on Federal and Indigenous lands and waters. Laura Simon of VT, Michelle Drossman of NY, and Anastasia Rogers of CA were arrested.
Declare Emergency supporters have been leading nonviolent civil resistance in the DC area since November 2021, calling on President Biden to declare an actual climate emergency (not practically speaking) and use his emergency powers to do everything possible to stop climate catastrophe in ways that are fair and just.
Laura Simons, Declare Emergency Supporter said, “I have been doing climate activism for the past few decades. I’ve lobbied legislators, held signs, signed petitions, gone door to door to talk to folks and attended endless meetings…. I have dedicated myself to others as a social worker, teacher and activist. We just are not moving fast enough to respond to the climate crisis….Let’s do it while there is still time to make a change.”
Michelle Drossman, 53, IT worker, from Nassau County, NY, Declare Emergency Supporter said, “Climate change is real and caused by the human activity of dumping carbon in the atmosphere. People are dying all over the world and losing their homes due to climate change. My being arrested is part of the wake-up call that is needed to end our addiction to fossil fuel use and find the courage to transition to other energy sources. The future of the planet is in our hands.”
During the action, Anastasia Rogers Declare Emergency Supporter from San Francisco said, “It’s kind of ridiculous that a climate emergency hasn’t been declared and there isn’t really much being done about it. Future generations are going to be suffering much more than we already are. I live in California where things are on fire…”
Declare Emergency is a member of the A22 Network for Civil Resistance, a ten-country coalition formed following the 1.2 degree Celsius increase in global average temperatures, April of 2022. Their seven main demands are to get Biden to Declare a Climate Emergency, Reduce Military Carbon Footprint, Stop Fossil Fuel Extraction on Federal and Indigenous Lands, Remove the US from the Int’l Oil Economy, Establish a National Citizens Assembly, Stop Fossil Fuels and people fighting for our future.
SMALL NUMBERS, BIG IMPACT
hosted by XR NYC
September 28th, 6:30-7:30, EST
Four civil disobedience activists (including one rebel) blocked the road to the Burning Man festival. It generated hundreds of media stories.
Another rebel glued his feet to the floor of Arthur Ashe stadium and stopped a US Open semi-final game for 49 minutes. It generated thousands of media hits worldwide, inserted the topic of climate emergency where it is least seen - the sports pages. Would you like to be a part of this new wave of climate actions, where a small number of brave people can make a big impact? Come learn from these two rebels. It's not hard. It just needs a bit of pluck, a bit of creativity, and a straightforward message.
Register for a Zoom link.
for other events with XR NYC visit xrebellion.nyc/events
Join up with Declare Emergency and make Headlines in DC
Join DE This Sunday for a talk about how you can join this exciting group - and start making headlines of your own! Or at least help others do the same.
“What are our responsibilities at this time? Because of the fossil fuel industry, we are facing horrors of a magnitude never before experienced in our existence. Our government continues to lead us to the edge of no return. We must stand up and defend ourselves. No one else is going to do it. It must be us, if we want to live.
Our methods must be disruptive, and they must be nonviolent. Our actions are evidence-based, credible, and we have a plan. The only thing missing at this point in time is YOU!”
Register now at declareemergency.org/events
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