Washington, DC — Activists from several organizations flashed a light show on the Rayburn House Office Building on Saturday, December 22. The phrase “All I Want for Christmas Is a Green New Deal” was displayed with a high-powered projector in a green hue on the Congressional building for about five minutes.
The light show was staged to draw attention to the environmental initiative being championed by Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Democratic Party has yet to adopt or endorse the Green New Deal as part of its platform.
U.S. Capitol police responded about 10 minutes later. The activists had already turned off equipment and were preparing to go home. Police threatened activists with arrest anyway and demanded they leave.
“I’ve seen you here before. What group are you claiming to be with with tonight?” asked one angry U.S. Capitol Police officer who also demanded identification. He claimed the light beam was a protest banner and was therefore illegal.
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The police officers argued amongst themselves over what charges they could file against the activists. They did not have a permit, would not have been granted a permit and had no permission to protest on the Rayburn House Office Building grounds. They also were not on the building grounds proper but operated the projectors from a grass wedge between the street and the sidewalk.
One policeman demanded identification from the projectionist, who replied, “If I’m already free to go, then I decline.” The policeman also ordered photographers to leave, though they hadn’t played a role in the protest.
The projectionist later explained rights and how to deal with police. They are required by DC law to give three warnings, with two-minute time gaps, to cease and desist protest actions. “If we comply, then they can’t arrest us. It’s about knowing your rights,” he said.
The Green New Deal is an initiative first proposed by Mark Hertsgaard in the 1990s. In his book Earth Odyssey, he proposes confronting climate change and environmental degradation by phasing out fossil fuels, reducing chemicals in the environment and realigning economies to balance human needs with the means of production. This would mean changing traditional economic goals from profit-driven objectives to sustainable living.
The Green New Deal initiative reflects a growing world wide consensus that immediate action must be taken regarding climate change.
