Drivers in New York City were not happy one bit when rush hour traffic was brought to a halt because environmental protesters blocked FDR Drive to put pressure on President Joe Biden to act on climate change.
The protesters, who were with Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise Movement, said they were not trying to annoy the drivers, "but to force the public to confront the true dangers of unchecked climate change. If we do not act today, if @potus does not act today, NYC will be underwater by 2100. It's a matter of life and death."
Dear commuters: we are interrupting traffic this morning not to annoy you, but to force the public to confront the true dangers of unchecked climate change. If we do not act today, if @potus does not act today, NYC will be underwater by 2100. It's a matter of life and death. pic.twitter.com/2gTTal0zgA
— Extinction Rebellion NYC ?? (@XR_NYC) October 25, 2021
Extinction Rebellion activists blocking the FDR drive to demand climate action by the government. With politicians who are owned be the fossil fuel industry, we must keep pressuring. pic.twitter.com/GqZrevbQ5s
— Extinction Rebellion NYC ?? (@XR_NYC) October 25, 2021
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A few drivers got out of their cars to confront the protesters standing in the road and holding banners.
"People got jobs!" one woman said to the protesters, adding she could be fired from her job and her kids could be late to school.
#HappeningNow Climate protesters from #extinctionrebellion are blocking the FDR on Manhattans East Side during rush hour. Drivers are erate. pic.twitter.com/tvJt1GPn1I
— Scootercaster (@ScooterCasterNY) October 25, 2021
New York City police officers did arrest the protesters after they refused to move. The NYPD's 7th Precinct announced just before 11:00 AM traffic had returned to normal.
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