Looking Behind: 2023 Recap! 🌎 — Extinction Rebellion NYC

In our 5-year history, 2023 stands out as a year marked by some of our most successful actions. Huge thanks to everyone who made it all possible! We executed over 25 actions, organized 50+ art builds and trainings, and shattered the media bubble with 5,000+ news articles.

As we enter 2024, we do so with a revitalized spirit of determination. As witnessed at COP28, our "leaders" are incapable of acting swiftly in a fair and just manner for all. It is up to us to change the course of history!

We look forward to rebelling with you in the new year!

Love & rage,

Extinction Rebellion NYC

OVERALL 2023 STRATEGY

In the first half of the year, our strategy was to target financial institutions funding fossil fuel projects in collaboration with other orgs following a similar strategy. In the second half, our strategy was to widen both the targets, particularly to sports and culture, and the number of people mobilized. The actions and march organized by People vs Fossil Fuels were woven into the latter strategy.

Take a look back at some of our favorite moments of 2023 below.

**Big Money ♥️ Big Oil (February 2023)** - On Valentine’s Day, over 80 rebels staged a banner spectacle urging Citibank to demand no new coal, oil and gas. *[Photo by Gabriele Holtermann (AMNewYork)]*

**Stop Cop City - Defend the Forest Everywhere (March 2023)** - Over 100 NYC activists, committed to diverse causes ranging from police abolition to gender justice to climate justice, came together for the #StopCopCity National Day of Action. They demanded that JPMorgan Chase & Co terminate the company’s associations and charities with the Atlanta Police Foundation and all other police foundations. *[Photo by Josh Pacheco]*

**Bank Takeover - Three Day Sit In (April 2023) -** For three consecutive days, we staged a sit-in and stayed overnight at the headquarters of Citibank. As the bank continues to greenwash and rejects two resolutions related to climate justice and Indigenous rights at the Annual General Meeting, we made our presence felt to remind them that the world is paying attention. *[Photo by Ken Schles]*

**Bank Takeover - Washable Graffiti (April 2023) -** Rebels carried out direct action at seven bank branches across the city, including Citi, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo locations. Phrases like "Climate Criminals" and "No New Oil" were spray painted to draw attention to the banking industry's poor sustainability record. A dozen were arrested, but the case was tossed out. [Photo by Adrian Childress]

**NYC Orange Skies #1 (June 2023)** - NYC climate activists marched up Park Avenue, a symbol of wealth and power, as smoke filled the skies of NYC. The polluter elites possess the authority to put an end to the destructive nature of fossil fuels. *[Photo by Laura Brett]*

**NYC Orange Skies #2 (June 2023)** - Four groups went separate ways and took their message to the heart of Times Square, chanting, "This is a climate emergency," to emphasize the urgent need for action on the climate crisis. The groups took turns to enter big brand stores like Hershey, Disney, Forever21, Express, and Sephora. *[Photo by Laura Brett]*

**Free The Degas Two #1 (June 2023)** - A group of 20 climate activists staged a demonstration in front of the renowned bronze Degas sculpture "The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer", exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, to raise public awareness about the excessive charges pressed against Joanna Smith and Tim Martin for their symbolic, non-violent action at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. *[Photo by Ken Schles]*

**Free The Degas Two #2 (July 2023)** - Doubling in size the group returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the second time to shut down more than eight exhibits and perform a die-in on the museum steps. *[Photo by unknown]*

**Biden: Declare a Climate Emergency (July 2023)** - On Climate Emergency Day, eighteen climate activists gathered at Madame Tussauds museum around the waxwork models of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, while the Climate Clock counted down from six years to five. *[Photo by Adrian Childress]*

**Mass Extinction #1 (July 2023) -** Rebels chanted in the Dinosaur Wing of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to remind the museum that it has a duty to promote scientific knowledge and environmental awareness amid the 6th mass extinction, urging it to resist corporate influence. [Photo by unknown]

**No Tennis On A Dead Planet (September 2023)** - As a prelude to the "Biden: End Fossil Fuels" mass march, brave rebels disrupted the news bubble by delaying the US Open for 49 minutes. Coco Gauff, who won the match later, said, "...if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get their voices heard, I can’t really get upset at it.”

**Mass Extinction #2 (September 2023)** - Rebels returned to the AMNH for the second time to remind this institution that we, too, will face extinction, much like the dinosaurs. *[Photo by Elaine Velie (Hyperallergic)]*

**No Faith in Fossil Fuels (September 2023)** - Mindful Rebels gathered at the headquarters of Citibank, BlackRock, and the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference over two days for a meditative session and a listening circle. Notably, Mindful Rebels weekly meditations have been held at BlackRock's headquarters since December 2022, Citi's headquarters since May 2023, and Chase's headquarters since February 2023. Pictured above are rebels practicing Embodied Antiracism. *[Photo by Siu Li]*

**No Luxury Emissions On A Dead Planet (September 2023)** - Rebels disrupted private helicopter takeoffs at JRA West 30th Street Heliport Airport, demanding an end to fossil fuels. The main entrance was blocked for 90 minutes and 6 people were arrested. *[Photo by Adrian Childress]*

**No Fashion On A Dead Planet (September 2023)** - Four topless rebels took their message to the NYFW The Blonds runway show to amplify the urgent need to reveal the naked truth about the climate crisis and demanded an end to the use of fossil fuels. *[Photo by Adrian Childress]*

**MoMA Drop KKR (September 2023) -** Sixteen climate activists were arrested after shutting down New York’s famed Museum of Modern Art, protesting the institution’s ties to private equity and fossil fuel billionaire Henry Kravis of KKR private equity firm. The museum was forced to close its doors and issue refunds as protesters occupied the space for over six hours. *[Photo by Alex Nawrocky]*

**March to End Fossil Fuels (September 2023) -** Extinction Rebellion NYC joined 75,000 people for the People vs Fossil Fuels Mass March, demanding action to end fossil fuels ahead of the UN General Assembly. *[Photo by Adrian Childress]*

**FRB Shutdown (September 2023)** - XRNYC other climate groups for a mass civil disobedience at the NYC FRB headquarters. Approximately 150 activists were arrested. *[Photo by Adrian Childress]*

**No Art On a Dead Planet (November 2023)** - Two brave rebels disrupted a Christie’s auction, leading to a temporary hold on the livestream. The action highlights how extreme weather has already disrupted the art industry, emphasizing the urgent need to end the use of fossil fuels now. *[Photo by unknown]*

**No Artists On A Dead Planet (November 2023)** - Rebels occupied the Guggenheim Museum for 4 to 5 hours, during which they chanted, delivered speeches asserting the obligation of museums to fight climate change. Over a dozen were arrested. *[Photo by Ray Bailey]*

**Mass Extinction #3 (November 2023)** - Rebels returned to the AMNH for the third time staging a speak-out and die-in, causing the museum to shut its front doors for over an hour. *[Photo by Siu Li]*

**Macy’s Day Parade (November 2022)** - Free Palestine solidarity action under the coalition Seven Circles which comprise of other climate civil disobedience groups such as Climate Defiance and Declare Emergency. Not only did rebels participate in the action, the chapter provided key support activities. *[Photo by Shedrick Pelt]*

**No Opera On A Dead Planet (November 2023)** - Four brave rebels disrupted the opening night of Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” at the Metropolitan Opera for 22 minutes, to coincide with the main character’s declaration that “love is a spring to be drunk from.” They highlighted the fact that, contrary to those words spoken on stage, springs are not pure now because we are in a climate crisis, and our water is contaminated.

OTHER ACTIVITIES