As I've mentioned before, I think there really is something to the idea that we should be fighting climate crisis by going after banks, and not just fossil fuel companies, and as such I am pretty excited about the “Summer of Heat” civil disobedience campaign going on right now, that does precisely that.

https://truthout.org/articles/activists-are-bringing-the-heat-to-the-doorstep-of-banks-funding-climate-crisis/

Activists Are Bringing the Heat to the Banks Funding Climate Crisis

"Backed by a coalition of more than 80 climate and racial justice groups, the “Summer of Heat” is convening every day on Wall Street all summer to take direct action against the financial institutions bankrolling the oil and gas industry. At the center of activists’ divestment demands is Citibank, the second largest financier of fossil fuels worldwide.

In an age of widespread climate nihilism, there is real reason to think that this campaign in particular could successfully push Citibank to change course on investing in fossil fuels. The multigenerational, multiracial, cross-class movement is highly strategic in its embrace of nonviolent direct action, marking “the first time in history that climate activists will hold an entire season of sustained civil disobedience protests targeting Wall Street and big banks for their role in fueling the climate crisis.” There is a track record of similar campaigns getting big wins. And there are signs that Citi is starting to crack under the sustained pressure."

Although corporate media is trying not to report it, and nihilists will tell you this sort of thing doesn't work, the fact is that disrupting the large financial institutions that underwrite the companies boiling us all like soup for five pennies a share *does* have a recent track record of success; as this very article notes similar campaigns have knocked banks like HSBC and Barclays out of the financing new oil and gas wells business, to say nothing of historically successful actions that forced banks to divest from coal, or even stop bankrolling businesses and investments in apartheid South African - a model that student protestors all across America have being trying to replicate by demanding their colleges and universities divest from Israel over its ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and its maintenance of an apartheid state in the occupied territories.

This stuff works, and the hundreds of Summer of Heat protestors who've already been arrested for these nonviolent protests are relying on us, the people, to get the word out about these actions and the establishment's repressive response to them to make these tactics more effective - because the universe knows corporate media sure isn't going to tell folks about it unless they don't have a choice.

"Still, Summer of Heat activists are determined to persist with their chosen tactics. In July, Citi obtained a restraining order against one 63-year-old protester named John Mark Rozendaal, a grandfather, professional cellist and adjunct music instructor at Princeton University. Flying in the face of the order, Rozendaal returned to the Citi headquarters on August 8 to perform J.S. Bach’s “Suites for Cello” in the bank’s public plaza. At Citi’s behest, the New York City Police Department arrested Rozendaal, who now faces up to seven years in prison.

“Rather than engage on the merits of their arguments and acknowledge the role they play, Citibank has chosen to unleash a brutal police crackdown on organizers,” New York City Council Member Alexa Avilés said in a statement. “You cannot incarcerate your way to a livable planet. I am calling on Citibank to drop the charges and commit to meeting our shared vision of a livable planet for generations to come.”

The simple truth is that they can't arrest us all; tell your friends about the Summer of Heat, the police violence being used to try and stop it, and fight climate crisis by protesting banks that fund fossil fuel production today!

Cello-playing climate activist arrested at New York Citibank protest as crackdown escalates

Second activist also arrested during ‘summer of heat’ protest against second largest #financier of #fossil #fuels

A 63-year-old climate activist and professional #cellist faces up to
seven years in prison after being arrested on Thursday while performing a Bach solo outside the headquarters of one of the world’s largest fossil fuel financiers, #Citibank in downtown New York.

John Mark #Rozendaal, an adjunct music instructor at Princeton university
and Alec #Connon, director of the climate nonprofit group
"Stop the Money Pipeline",
were arrested for criminal contempt in the public park at the bank’s global headquarters
as the crackdown against #nonviolent #climate #protesters escalates.

Rozendaal was handcuffed and led away to the police vehicle singing “we are not afraid,
we are not afraid,
we will sing for liberation
because we know why we were made”.
The crowd of protesters chanted “let him play” and
“shame on you Citibank”.

Thirteen other climate activists,
who had linked arms in a circle around Rozendaal to protect him
as he played Bach’s suites for cello,
were detained for alleged "obstruction of governmental administration",
a misdemeanor criminal charge.

“People are dying … today is my birthday,”
said Mike Bucci, 77, teary eyed as the police in riot gear broke up the protest.
Since 10 June, climate activists have been peacefully protesting against Citibank’s record financial support for new fossil fuel projects as part of the
️ "Summer of Heat on Wall Street"️campaign.

At least 3,700 people have participated in the nonviolent civil disobedience,
repeatedly blockading the entrance to its global headquarters.

More than 475 people including faith leaders, scientists and elders
have been arrested while calling on Citi to stop bankrolling new coal, oil and gas.

Citi is the second largest financier of fossil fuels
and the largest financier of fossil fuel expansion since the 2015 Paris climate agreement,
according to the latest Banking on Climate Chaos report.

The latest arrests come as climate advocates accuse Citibank and the NYPD of
coordinated and escalating efforts to suppress nonviolent protests
in retaliation for drawing attention to the banking giant’s key role in funding fossil projects globally.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/08/citibank-climate-protest-new-york?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other