Dozens Arrested in Climate Change Protests
From just a few minutes of looking at any major news site, it becomes obvious that climate change is a prevalent topic in the media today, and it continues to rapidly grow in relevance with every passing day. The climate change prevention movement has been steadily gaining notoriety as they increase pressure on large corporations and lawmakers to implement stronger policies to protect the environment. As politicians have continued to attempt to dismiss the issue and sweep their claims under the rug, activists have only grown more determined to spread their message and be heard until they are able to inspire tangible change. This conflict reached new heights on the morning of September 23, 2019, when protestors began to arrive in Washington, D.C. to demand action. They intended to block major roads in order to shut down the area, since they believed this was the best possible way to get people to stop and understand the gravity of the situation with nowhere else to turn and no option but to face the problem. However, the day did not go as planned as police began to arrest protestors for blocking intersections.
This decision has been widely regarded as controversial, since many people believe that the protestors were within their constitutional right to assemble and voice their cause, since they were remaining peaceful. In any case, according to the Washington Post, 32 activists have been arrested and charged for blocking major intersections throughout the D.C. area. While the activists knew the risks associated with participating in these protests and knew that it was a strong possibility that they would be arrested, many showed no fear in the face of danger. In fact, as a protestor only known as George, said in an article published by the Washington Post, ‘”I’m doing something that’s right, moral and just… I’m doing this so I can look my kids in the eye one day.”’ Many of the other protestors have described similar sentiments, mainly saying that they were unwilling to sit back and do nothing as the condition of the word continues to worsen while people become increasingly apathetic. While it is not yet clear how effective these protests will be on improving climate change legislation, the message of these activists and their cause has certainly been heard loud and clear.