What to Know
- Hundreds of people swarmed around City Hall Wednesday morning in a mass protest over climate change
- Protest was organized by group called Extinction Rebellion and activists demanding policies designed to reach zero carbon emissions by 2025
- About 300 people showed up and about 60 ended up getting arrested, according to Rory Varrato, an Extinction Rebellion, activist.
Hundreds of people swarmed around City Hall Wednesday morning in a mass protest over climate change.
The activists say New York should lead the way in combating climate change.
The protest was organized by a group called Extinction Rebellion and activists promised to continue turning up the heat, demanding policies designed to reach zero carbon emissions by the year 2025.
“We are willing to sacrifice our freedoms — to go to jail in order to prove a point,” an activist told NBC 4 New York.
Approximately 300 people showed up to the protest that ended with about 60 getting arrested, according to Rory Varrato, an Extinction Rebellion, activist.
NYPD officers moved in quickly after protestors blocked the streets and then two people unfurled a giant banner over the entrance to the Brooklyn bridge.
Local
“The sign over there is still up and I hope it will stay up until New York City declares a climate emergency,” an Extinction Rebellion activist said.
Those arrested face disorderly conduct charges. While the two protestors who hung the banner got an additional charged reckless endangerment.
“Civil disobedience is not just to get arrested, it’s to send a political message that can’t be sent in any other way,” Varrato said. “City Hall has relevance for local governance, it’s very symbolic.”
