Hours after smearing graffiti onto a Tesla dealership, climate protesters went to the ballet at Lincoln Center on Tuesday night, interrupting a performance and forcing the curtains to come down on the stage mid-dance.
On April 22, activists from the Extinction Rebellion targeted the ballet All Balanchine I to raise awareness of climate change. The protest began with demonstrators blocking the entrance to the David H. Koch Theater.
Holding signs that security swiftly strove to rip from their hands, they yelled, “No dance on a dead planet.”
Security personnel guided ticket holders around the protesters, but the things did not end there. Inside, about halfway through the performance of “All Balanchine I,” several more activists lowered a banner from the third ring and began yelling into the auditorium.
“We are here on behalf of Mother Earth!” one protester called out.
The disruption was met with a chorus of boos.
“Shut up!” one audience member called out.
Attendees attempted to drown out the monologue with applause, but the distraction proved too much, and the show was halted. The large curtain came down on the stage mid-performance.
“Due to an issue in the house, we need to pause the performance. We are attempting to resolve this issue,” an announcement said.
Breaking: Activists from @XR_NYC disrupt the New York ballet at Lincoln Center, causing the show to be postponed on Earth day. pic.twitter.com/wXoLDyDcEw
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) April 23, 2025
Security removed protesters and following a ten-minute hiatus, the show continued.
“Our action today is not about drawing attention; it’s about demanding accountability and leadership from all sectors of society. Cultural institutions hold significant influence, and their silence is deafening in the face of this crisis,” one anonymous protester said.
“Many New Yorkers know how bad our climate situation is. But just as many don’t know what to do! We are here tonight to tell them: ‘join, or die,’” another said.
A source from Extinction Rebellion reported that the protest was centered on “pushing back on the draconian, authoritarian policies of the Trump administration.”
Since the second Trump presidency began on Jan. 20, the organization’s protesters said, they believe that protests need to be escalated in order to fight back against what they say is a regime that is destroying the planet.
