Washington DC—Environmentalists held a climate direct action by launching a boat on Maine Avenue in front to Washington Gas Headquarters on Friday as employees were ready to leave for the day. They also blocked the front doors of the gas company and stopped traffic to urge city government to stop billions being invested to replace methane gas pipes under city streets. Four activists locked themselves to the 30’ boat for about two hours while a dozen other activists blocked entrances to Washington Gas.
Above the boat the hoisted a large banner reading Jump Ship, a theme they want DC Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser to adopt in abandoning the fossil energy industry in the city’s energy policy.
After some period of negotiations the activists agreed with requests not to continue their lock-down longer than two hours. The activists unlocked their chains, they posted bond and forfeited their right to a trial, and they were released. Police towed the boat to an impound lot where it may be reclaimed.
The demonstration was festive as organizers held a vegetable barbecue and served ice cream. A performer with the stage name Dragon from the band ‘The Resistance Company’ entertained the participants with a repertoire of resistence songs on his guitar and drums. Several handed out flyers urging Washington Gas employees to “Jump Ship” and transfer their skills to renewable energy technology or speak to others in their industry about the harm the methane gas industry is causing to the atmosphere. The flyers also urged to Washington Gas employees to become whistleblowers and release details about insider industry knowledge of the climate emergency and contained a website to contact with that information.
Charles Spring, one of the activists who locked himself to the boat, and later released, said we needed Federal and local leaders to tell the truth about the severity of the climate crisis. “This action was targeting local leaders including Washington Gas who is trying to replace all the pipes in the city to lock us into another 100 years of methane gas,” he said.
Spring also spoke about methane and its contribution to global heat and the climate emergency. “Methane is one of the more toxic greenhouse gases and more potent than carbon dioxide,” he said.
Extinction Rebellion DC has been engaged to a campaign to influence city government to drop its from energy dependence on the fossil fuel industry and to adapt renewable alternatives such as solar, electric, and alternate power sources for buildings, homes, and city infrastructure.
Sadie, an activist from Our Rights DC spoke about the recent ruling by the Supreme Court in the case West Virginia v. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), saying the Court ruling against the EPA was harmful to everyone and was a trend of many recent decisions by the right-wing conservatives which harm communities and people everywhere.
“They’ve restricted the EPA response to the climate crisis and are weaponizing the fossil fuel industry all while we march for our rights in floods,” they said. Sadie drew comparisons to the recent Supreme Court rulings against Miranda Rights, Dobbs (overturning Roe v. Wade), NYC handgun permit law, saying the rulings are counter the livability of community health and safety.
They also warned that by ignoring the climate emergency, the Court and other institutions were imperiling the livability of the planet and the safety of communities. “We often say they are coming for us next but they are all coming for us now. We need to recognize and feel that sense of urgency,” they said.
Organizers had planned their action at the waterfront for several months and kept it under wraps until the day of the action, partially closing down the area, which is the neighborhood where Senator Joe Manchin (WV) moors his yacht, his legal domicile in Washington DC, which he uses as a houseboat. The West Virginia Senator has come under fire for his stand against renewable energy and for his support of the coal industry.
