Washington, DC (February 19, 2025) – Nearly two years after 75-year old climate activist Bob Atchinson was given a suspended sentence and fined for protesting the U.S. government's inaction on climate change, his case has been appealed to the United States Supreme Court.

In an ongoing week of action with the goal of getting President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and halt all fossil fuel extraction/infrastructure on Federal and Indigenous lands, supporters of Declare Emergency have disrupted business as usual in the streets of DC. At around 8 AM today, concerned citizens entered the road by 12th Street NW and Constitution Ave NW in Washington D.C., where they got into position for disruption, and held the streets up to the point of arrest.

In an ongoing week of action with the goal of getting President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and halt all fossil fuel extraction/infrastructure on Federal and Indigenous lands, supporters of Declare Emergency have disrupted business as usual at the National Gallery of Art. At around 11 AM today, concerned citizens entered the gallery housing the “little dancer” statues by Edgar Degas where they got into position for disruption, and tossed fake oil and blood on the statue’s case and sat down.

People from across the country have gathered in Washington, D.C. to block traffic on George Washington Memorial Highway at 8 AM on April 26, 2023, demanding President Biden to declare a climate emergency.

At around 7:30 AM today, three ordinary citizens entered the intersection of New York Ave and 395 in the Mount Vernon Triangle, got into position for disruption, and sat on the road. They were displaying Declare Emergency banners.

Judge Shelly Mulkey of the D.C. Superior Court today sentenced two Declare Emergency supporters with time served and $500.00 fines. Both Ms. Wehner and Mr. Severance said they are acting in self defense against a government that is condemning people in this country and around the world to death, to poverty, to oil fueled wars.

Judge Jones Bosier convicted a supporter of the Declare Emergency campaign with incommoding for blocking the Rock Creek Parkway west of the Watergate Complex in Washington DC on Jan. 25th, 2022.

Six Declare Emergency Supporters Sentenced to Jail for stopping traffic on the beltway in Montgomery County on Indigenous People’s Day. Judge Koch handed down sentences of 4 days, $500 fines, and one year of probation.

Judge Shelly Mulkey of the D.C. Superior Court today allowed two Declare Emergency supporters to present the climate necessity defense. This is only the ninth time since 2008 that a U.S. court has allowed climate protest defendants to present the necessity defense, out of roughly 37 attempts, according to a 2021 Climate Defense Project report.

A Declare Emergency supporter pleaded guilty to blocking the inner loop of the beltway in Montgomery County, Maryland. The judge sentenced him to an unprecedented 60 days.

This morning approximately 25 non-violent ordinary citizens, including many Indigenous folks, blocked the DC Beltway at Colesville Road. The campaign's demands are for President Biden to declare a climate emergency and cease all fossil fuel extraction and new infrastructure on federal and indigenous lands.