Extinction Rebellion Wraps Up the Spring Rebellion with 6th Ave Traffic Roadblock
April 23, 2022
Contact: xrnyc_press@unitedrebellion.com
Extinction Rebellion Wraps Up the Spring Rebellion with 6th Ave Traffic Roadblock
New York, NY - Approximately 600 scientists, climate activists and allies took part in the March for Science, which started at Central Park West & 72nd Street and ended at Bryant Park, where the organizations highlighted the necessity -- according to the science -- of ending the expansion and future construction of fossil fuel infrastructure. Extinction Rebellion NYC partnered with March for Science in its support of the scientific community, which has been sounding the alarm about the severity of the climate and ecological crisis for decades.
In early April, over 1,000 scientists in 25 countries participated in a historic act of civil disobedience by the scientitic community to demand swifter and stronger world government efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. According to the latest IPCC report, we have less than three years to halve global emissions.
At the conclusion of the mass march, Extinction Rebellion took direct action by blocking traffic on 6th Avenue and held banners with slogans like, "It's time to wake up!" Two activists climbed to the top of the 42nd Bryant Park subway entrance roof, next to the Bank of America Tower and unfurled a banner reading "We're in a climate f*cking emergency". It is estimated that 22 people were arrested.
Saturday's action marks the last day of the Spring Rebellion, a ten-day series of acts of civil disobedience to demand change at the levels of government, media, and finance. Over the ten days, a total of 78 people were arrested.
The Guardian reported in April of last year that "more than 400 leading experts - including 14 authors from the IPCC - say that non-violent civil disobedience from groups like the school strikers, Extinction Rebellion, and the Sunrise Movement have transformed the debate around the climate crisis in recent years."
As long as the government continues to fail on halting biodiversity loss and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025, Extinction Rebellion organizers vow to continue nonviolent direct action (including non-cooperation with mundate laws) in order to draw attention to the climate emergency and publicly advocate for societal change.
Photos and videos of the event can be found here.
Recap of the Spring Rebellion
April 22, Earth Day Crisis Newspaper Blockade - Activists disrupted the distribution of major US newspapers by blocking the roads in and out of The New York Times's College Point Printing Plant. The group took aim at three companies that use the distribution site: the New York Times for continuing to accept advertising dollars from fossil fuel companies; the Wall Street Journal for a series of opinion pieces backed by the fossil fuel industry; and USA Today for covering the climate crisis less regularly than any other national paper. Read the action statement here.
April 20, Citigroup Lobby Occupation - Activists occupied Citigroup's corporate headquarters as employees walked into work in the morning. The group demands Citi commit to ending fossil fuel expansion and setting concrete, time-bound targets now. A shareholders resolution explicitly about ending expansion is up for vote at the company's Annual General meeting on April 26. Read the press release here.
April 18, No War, No Warming Mass March - Activists collaborated with the peace movement to carry out a direct action by erecting two tripods and choking traffic at the Bowling Green Park intersection on Broadway where the Wall Street bull is located. The group demands the government stop using citizen tax dollars on wars and environmental destruction, and fund a mass mobilization away from fossil fuels, supporting the communities most impacted by the climate crisis, and addressing mitigation and adaptation measures. Read the press release here.
April 16, We Will Not Be Bystanders Mass March - Activists blocked traffic on Broadway by Madison Square Park by standing and sitting on the street. To mark off the first civil disobedience action for the Rebellion, the group declared that that they refuse to be bystanders as floods, droughts, storms and fires all bring our society closer to the brink of collapse. Read the press release here.
April 15, Media: Do Your Job, Tell the Truth Mass March - Hundreds of protesters marched between the headquarters of NBC News and ABC News to draw attention to the lack of serious media coverage about the climate emergency. In 2021, climate represented just 1% of overall coverage on corporate broadcast morning, nightly, and Sunday morning news shows. Read the press release here.
About Extinction Rebellion
Time has almost entirely run out to address the climate & ecological crisis, including the sixth mass extinction, global pollution, and abrupt, runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices if rapid action is not taken.
Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by their Government.
Extinction Rebellion’s key demands are:
Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
Government must commit to a just transition in order to maintain a livable, just planet for all.
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