Guardian: “More than 100 protesters were arrested after hundreds of people gathered in New York City’s financial district on Monday to denounce what organisers say is Wall Street’s contribution to climate change.”
“Flood Wall Street demonstrators, primarily dressed in blue to represent climate change-induced flooding, marched to New York City’s financial centre to “highlight the role of Wall Street in fuelling the climate crisis,” according to organisers.
While the day started off peacefully, demonstrators began trying to push back metal barricades when trading closed on the New York Stock Exchange at 4pm.
Police used pepper spray to push them back and later broke up the gathering. A core group of a few dozen activists staged a sit-in steps away from Wall Street, and police officers handcuffed and walked them away one-by-one, taking them to police vans parked nearby.
Those arrested included a person wearing a white polar bear suit and two women dressed as Captain Planet. Most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct.
….Although many protesters set out with the aim of getting arrested, the crowd’s relations with police were considerably less adversarial compared to those of Occupy Wall Street, which happened in the same part of the city.
….“I think it’s bullshit,” said John, a broker who did not want his last name or the firm he works for identified. He said that the protests were obnoxious and that climate change is a scam created by Al Gore to make money.
Carrying a more than 300 foot long banner meant to represent the “river” of people protesting, demonstrators walked toward the stock exchange. They hit a literal snag when trying to wrangle large inflatables meant to represent Carbon around the charging bull landmark near Wall Street. The NYPD confiscated the two Carbon balloons and deflated at least one of them shortly after.
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– Momentum is building worldwide as citizens and businesses are pressing world leaders at the UN Climate Summit this week to get serious about fighting against climate change. On top of the record-breaking 400,000 people who took to New York’s streets and the hundreds of thousands joining similar marches around the world this weekend, investors, philanthropies, faith leaders, health experts, businesses and global institutions are also calling for urgent action. Additionally, more than 1,000 businesses, 73 governments and investors worth $24 trillion are now demanding a global price on carbon.
– The chorus calling for a 100 percent renewable future is growing in size and volume as leaders from the faith, finance, and health communities are urging governments to craft a serious climate action plan. The head of the World Health Organization says its time for “climate change, and all of its dire consequences for health, to be at centre-stage,” while 30 faith leaders across religions urged governments to commit to, “pledges to the Green Climate Fund, short-term emission cuts, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, increased energy efficiency, and supporting the poor and vulnerable.”
– Action to address climate change can’t wait—as emissions climb, climate impacts worsen, and projections become increasingly dire. Within the last few days, new analysis revealed that carbon emissions will reach record highs before the the end of the year. This worrying trend, along with the overwhelming scientific consensus about the looming impacts of climate change, underscores the need for leaders at the UN to accelerate the ongoing transition from dirty fossil fuels to a 100 percent renewable energy future and agree on a global action climate plan in Paris next year.
Future Today
