Declare Emergency Blocks the Inner Loop of the Capitol Beltway in Maryland - Again!

Action
Written By Declare Emergency

Silver Spring MD (October 10, 2022) This morning approximately 25 non-violent ordinary citizens, including many Indigenous folks, blocked the DC Beltway at Colesville Road.

The group is a collection of supporters of the Declare Emergency campaign. They were there to deepen social awareness about the dire extent of the climate crisis and to demand that the Biden administration act on it quickly.

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, which includes the Line Five pipeline being pushed by Canadian based Enbridge to run through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan: through the Straits of Mackinac that divide Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. A 2010 leak from another Michigan pipeline owned by Enbridge resulted in one of the largest inland oil spills in US history. A leak at the straits of Mackinac could be even more devastating, because the Great Lakes contain 84% of North America's surface fresh water and are the primary source of water for over 30 million people.

“Acting in nonviolent civil resistance to save the planet is the only way I can truly be able to look myself in the mirror at the end of the day.” said Will Regan, 43 year old Computer Scientist from California who was one of those arrested. “Every day we are confronted with distractions that allow us to forget the devastating impact we are having on the future of life on this planet.”

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that climate activists are "depicted as dangerous radicals, but the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels."

“ I'm here for myself my brothers and sisters here on the road and all the people of the world including my granddaughter Olivia." said arrestee Maple Osterbrink of North Carolina. "One year ago 2,000 people arrived at the White House fence to ask Biden to declare a climate emergency and he did not listen. The problem is money and politicians and media lying to everyone.""

Declare Emergency is currently centered around Washington DC and is inviting everyone from all disciplines, classes and beliefs, to support the campaign and join them on the streets.

ABOUT DECLARE EMERGENCY

Declare Emergency is a member of the A22 Network for Civil Resistance, an eleven-country coalition formed following the 1.2 degree Celsius increase in global average temperatures. Each member has a distinct policy demand from their respective governments. In the United States of America, Declare Emergency demands that President Biden declare a national climate emergency, and cease all extraction on federal and indigenous lands. https://www.declareemergency.org/

MEDIA CONTACTS

PHOTOS

All photos copyright Declare Emergency.

A22 NETWORK FOR CIVIL RESISTANCE

REFERENCES

  1. “Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet” (May 10, 2021). Netflix Official Trailer, https://youtu.be/Gb6wQtNjblk

  2. “Three years Left! Sir David King & Dr Charles Fletcher on Climate Reality” (March 15, 2022). Talk by two of the world’s leading scientists to JSO, https://youtu.be/9I2mIlfvkwk

  3. “Economics to prevent social collapse: Kate Raworth & Steve Keen” (April 9, 2022). Invited talk to XR UK on the economics of climate change, https://youtu.be/2kXKbQWA2EY

Climate Emergency Fund is the lead funder for Declare Emergency's recruitment, training, and educational efforts.

Declare Emergency
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