Dozens of climate protesters dressed as orcas were arrested Tuesday morning while blocking the entrance to Citigroup’s headquarters in Lower Manhattan.
Waddling around in their floppy outfits and taking fin in fin, the group blocked hundreds of Citigroup workers from accessing the building, located at 388 Greenwich St., at about 9 a.m. on June 11.
Chanting “Sink their yachts!” the group used their bodies as human barricades to block the entrances as they looked to raise awareness about the environmental impact of fossil fuels, claiming that Citigroup directly profits from businesses that damage the planet.
This whale of a standoff, however, created a shoving match between workers and the orca-costumed protesters. Police were called in and worked to pry the protesters apart to give employees an entry point.
“Stop shoving, NYPD!” one protester yelled. “We are watching you.”
The action was part of what activists call “The Summer of Heat on Wall Street,” a series of civil disobedience acts against banks, investors and insurance companies that bankroll coal, oil, and gas expansion. It was the second consecutive day that environmental activists looked to disrupt Citigroup with a morning protest.
“Enough is enough. The pollution, acidification and oceanic heat caused by the fossil fuel industry is killing our children and destroying our homes,” protester Talequah said. “I’m here for my children and everybody’s children―human and orca alike.”
Protesters charge that Citigroup has invested $396.3 billion into the coal, oil, and gas industries since 2016 — something which, they say, has led to detrimental impacts on the ocean due to climate change.
The group argued that waters are 30% more acidic than before humans began pouring waste into them, and nearly 25% of all oceanic life have gone extinct since the 1950’s.
After about 20 minutes of pushing and shoving, police began arresting the protesters, cuffing 33 individuals in all. The activists were led to awaiting police vans.
One senior protester fainted during the episode. Still wearing her Orca outfit, she was taken into the back of an ambulance with her arms zip-tied.
