Statement on the 1/6 insurrection

This week, the world watched in horror as a white nationalist mob—incited by false claims of election fraud—stormed the US Capitol to attack democracy and suppress the will of the people. One day after the historic election in Georgia in which voters elected the first Black senator and first Jewish senator in the state’s history, the violence of this insurrection and the slow—and at times congenial—response from police exposed the forces of racism and fascism that threaten democracy. This was not a protest; it was an attack on the democratic process, and an assault on every voter.

These extremists did not act autonomously: their violence was fueled by racist lies and anti-democratic provocations from politicians who would rather see the world burn than relinquish power. Wednesday’s insurrection did not come as a surprise, though it was no less sad and disturbing to witness. Extinction Rebellion NYC condemns this violence and the toxic system it serves.

Our society faces a number of intersecting crises: COVID-19 and our country’s botched response, the economic downturn, the rise of the alt-right and the reinvigoration of white supremacy, the erosion of our democratic institutions, and, of course, the increasingly severe ecological emergency. We can respond with true democracy—by the people and for the people—or we can allow others to respond with fascism.

Now is not the time to “turn the page,” to forgive and forget. We must hold responsible the supposed representatives of the people who, even after a deadly attempted coup, continue to spout the very lies that incited the riots. We cannot allow these politicians and their followers, who would rather tear our country to shreds than give up an ounce of their own power, to determine the future of our country, and our world. It is time to give that power to the people; to convene Citizens’ Assemblies that can speak for the entire country, rather than only the hostile, power-hungry minority.

Another world is possible. Together, we can make it a reality.