UPDATE: Wall Street Clogged by Flood of Climate Protesters

tumblr_ncbxrzy9K91tlno9ro3_500Media Advisory

September 22, 2014

Phone: 406-356-6316

floodwallstreet@riseup.net

www.floodwallstreet.net/media

Photos from the event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127254211@N08

UPDATE: Wall Street Clogged by Flood of Climate Protesters

Sit-in Points Finger at Corporations in Flood Wall Street Action

New York, NY — Today, thousands of protesters wearing blue sparked a national conversation about the role of corporate power in climate politics when they shut down portions of lower Broadway.  Following the Stock Exchange closing bell, an estimated 100 people were arrested by the NYPD in the Flood Wall Street action which was organized to hold corporations and banks accountable for their role in creating the climate crisis.

Quotes from organizers and participants of Flood Wall Street

“Our goal was to connect climate change to Wall Street and amplify stories from the front lines. We definitely did that. We did it by disrupting business as usual in the heart of the world’s most important financial center.”

-Yotam Marom, Flood Wall Street Organizer

“Indigenous peoples are here at Flood Wall Street to send a direct message to the financiers of the global climate crisis and the fossil fuel regime since we are on the frontlines of the impact of fossil fuel development as well as experiencing disproportionate impacts of the global crisis. We have so much at stake, and a shared ambition to target the international financiers to throw a wrench in the system and disrupt commerce and business as usual here in the belly of the beast in the United States of America.”

-Clayton Thomas-Muller, #IdleNoMore

“The people and the land of Appalachia have been suffering for decades from the decisions made on Wall Street. We need a new economy built from the ground up.”

-Terri Blanton, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

“We are here representing the communities who are suffering directly from an exploitative, extractive economy that doesn’t respect people’s dignity, or human, labour, and civil rights. We are here to lift this voice and to send the message that we have the opportunity to create an economy that values humanity and dignity. We are here to redefine a just transition, where all communities have equality, access to resources, and also an economy that is good for the people and the planet.”

-Abel Luna, Migrant Justice

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Flood Wall Street is a response to the Climate Justice Alliance’s call for non-violent direct action in the week before the United Nations Climate Summit.

Mass Climate Protest Disrupts NYC Financial District — Hundreds Risk Arrest

Thousands Flood Wall Street With Mass Sit-In for Climate Justice

For immediate release:

Thousands ‘Flood’ Financial District Following Sunday’s Historic March

Interviews available upon requests

Photos available here

New York, NY — 3,000 people dressed in blue are currently between Exchange Place and The Bull in Manhattan’s financial district, sitting down to interrupt the business day and targeting corporations and businesses financing and fueling the climate crisis.

“Communities that are first and most impacted by storms, floods and droughts are also on the frontlines of fighting the dig-burn-dump economy causing climate change,” said Michael Leon Guerrero of the Climate Justice Alliance. “We are flooding Wall Street to stop its financing of planetary destruction, and to make way for living economies that benefit people and the planet.”

“Many of us were also involved with Occupy Wall Street,” said Michael Premo, an organizer of Flood Wall Street and a Brooklyn-based artist. “Just like the financial crisis, the climate crisis is a product of an underlying political crisis. It’s the result of policies that serve the shortsighted interests of the few over the survival and well being of everyone.”

Yesterday’s historic 400,000-person march showed widespread support for action on climate change, and Flood Wall Street is confronting those who stand in the way of change and connecting the climate movement with a long tradition of nonviolent direct action.

“Throughout history, people have engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience in response to moral crises, when political leaders have failed to act,” said Vida James, a Flood Wall Street organizer. “What could constitute more of a moral crisis than the health and survival of our planet, our communities, and our grandchildren?”

Art, music, and giant visuals are prominent features of the festive demonstration, beginning the day with the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, a local activist marching band. Nearly a hundred people carried a 300-foot banner that read: “Capitalism = Climate Chaos — Flood Wall Street,” among many other visuals.

The day began with speakers from around the world that have been impacted by climate change, emphasizing that leadership on climate justice must come from below.

“The real solution to global warming is organizing workers worldwide for the construction of a new model, with justice, equality and respect for life,” said Elisa Estronioli, a Brazilian land-rights activist.

More updates coming.

MEDIA ADVISORY
September 22, 2014
Phone: (406) 356-6316
floodwallstreet@riseup.net
http://floodwallstreet.net

Mass Sit-in to Draw Connection Between Climate Change and Wall Street

IFloodNYMedia contact
Bessie Schwarz
Phone: (406) 356-6316
floodwallstreet@riseup.net

Mass Sit-in to Draw Connection Between Climate Change and Wall Street

Protesters Wearing Blue Hope to Shut Down Financial District After Climate March

New York, NY — A “flood” of people from across the globe, dressed in blue, will take to the streets of New York’s Financial District on Monday to highlight the role of capitalism in fueling the climate crisis. Coming a day after the historic People’s Climate March, #FloodWallStreet will show that the next step for the climate movement is to target polluters and those profiting from the fossil fuel industry. #FloodWallStreet participants expect to be arrested in droves as they carry out a sit-in near Wall Street. Speakers will include acclaimed author-activists Naomi Klein, Chris Hedges and Rebecca Solnit, as well as members of communities at the front lines of the climate crisis.

WHEN: Mon Sept. 22, 11:00 a.m. (March to Wall St. & sit-in begins – full schedule below)
WHERE: Battery Park
WHO: Hundreds of concerned citizen in blue marching in the streets with expected arrests

Speakers – 9am:
-Naomi Klein
-Chris Hedges
-Rebecca Solnit
-Members of front-line communities around the world.

VISUALS: Hundreds of activists wearing blue, sitting-in, risking arrest, and accompanied by a marching bands, large puppets, a 300-foot #FloodWallStreet banner and other large-scale art pieces.

#FloodWallStreet is a response to the Climate Justice Alliance’s call for non-violent direct action.

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Auxiliary Events

The full schedule of events following The People’s Climate March is available at: http://www.beyondthemarch.org/

Photos

Images available for use.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzJeebkqbirEMktlX3pyVV9lQ2c&usp=sharing_eid&tid=0B1ROsbfXH_GiYXlfVkdPLVpndzA

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzJeebkqbirEMktlX3pyVV9lQ2c&usp=sharing_eid&tid=0B1ROsbfXH_GiYXlfVkdPLVpndzA

Join Us As We “Flood Wall Street” in New York City on Sept 22 at 9am

#FWS~ STOP CAPITALISM. END THE CLIMATE CRISIS. ~

As world leaders meet in New York for a historic summit on climate change, communities across the globe will flood financial centers to confront the corporate and economic systems that are causing the climate crisis.

Join a united global movement to attack the root causes of the climate crisis and build an economy based on justice and sustainability. We need climate justice. Take action in solidarity with communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis for a day of:

Massive Coordinated Direct Actions
Against Climate Profiteers
NYC Sept 22
In financial and political centers around the world – Flood, blockade, sit-in, and shut down the institutions that are profiting from the climate crisis.

Wear BLUE.

THIS IS PART OF THE WEEK OF ACTION FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
September 17-24, 2014

RSVP HERE

9:00am – Converge at Battery Park – Breakfast, Music and Speakers: Ta’kaiya Blaney, Naomi Klein, Rebecca Solnit and more
11:00am – Nonviolent Direct Action Training and March
12:00pm – Massive Sit-in to Flood Wall Street

Get support for your action or find one to join at the Direct Action Support Hub:

http://www.beyondthemarch.org/

Climate Justice Alliance Call to Action:

http://www.ourpowercampaign.org/peoplesclimatemarch/

People’s Climate March:

http://peoplesclimate.org/march/