by Shelby Talcott
Climate change activists protested on the streets of Washington, D.C., Monday, aiming to shut down the city in an effort to push the government to take action on the climate crisis.
Activists blocked key intersections throughout the nation’s capital Monday morning, causing “gridlocked” traffic across D.C., Sam Sweeney, a reporter for WJLA, tweeted. Police began arresting protesters Monday morning, and the demonstrations are expected to continue throughout the day.
UPDATE: Dumpster Fire on Mass Avehttps://t.co/BfUFeUy45s pic.twitter.com/EinI4B6cKr
— PoPville (@PoPville) September 23, 2019
Activism in 2019: singing about getting rid of fossil fuels while littering on the street. pic.twitter.com/r28ByOqq7R
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 23, 2019
Climate Protestors blocking Mass Ave near Union station in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/tBlMiFEb8d
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) September 23, 2019
Other streets were locked down after a sail boat was placed in the middle of a road. Protesters bound themselves to the boat and police had to use saws to release them as they re-routed traffic. “Rebel for life” was written on the boat.
“Police are using a saw to separate the links protesters have attached themselves to the boat with. They’ve given those people flame-resistant blankets for the sparks. And ear protection,” Alejandro Alvarez, a reporter for WTOP, tweeted. He added that “over an hour later” police were still trying to free two of the protesters from the boat.
This intersection one block north of the White House is entirely frozen. I’m witnessing a climate-themed, impromptu block party with masked “polar bears.” A few dozen police gathering nearby. #ShutDownDC pic.twitter.com/rZNoWZ78Yp
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) September 23, 2019
Health care workers and Black Lives Matter members set up a “free health screening and blood pressure clinic” on Independence and Washington, Adam Greenberg, a SustainUS employee, wrote. Protesters were also seen blocking streets with a sign that read “Capitalism Is Killing The Planet.”
“Allowing people to lay in the middle of the street during morning rush hour is not a compelling argument for statehood. #ShutDownDC #ClimateStrikedc #DCisatoilet,” Kevin McLaughlin, Executive Director at National Republican Senatorial Committee, wrote Monday morning.
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Shelby Talcott is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “DC Climate Change Protesters” by Mark Dixon. CC BY 2.0.
