Press Release: Young Activists Rally Against Fossil Fuel Funding in the heart of the European Parliament
Brussels, May 4, 2024 – In a bold demonstration of youth activism, members of the Federation of Young European Greens and Extinction Rebellion joined forces today at the European Parliament’s open days to protest against fossil fuel funding.
At 11:00 AM, the action disrupted the event's opening ceremony in the hemicycle, which was opened to the public for the rare occasion. At the time of the disruption, the vice-president of the European Parliament Marc Angel was holding an opening speech talking about the unity, democracy and the climate plans of the EP. The activists performed a banner drop, followed by a speech made by the Co-spokesperson of FYEG Sean Currie. The action ended with the activist group chanting “Stop Giving Subsidies to Fossil Fuel Companies”, a statement in line with the general United for Climate Justice escalation, supported by the Young European Greens that happened later at 14:00 CEST.
After the action, the activists calmly left the hemicycle and then the building, where they were arrested by the police at 12:00 CEST. The police would not let other activists and volunteers know what station the police took the activists to for the next hour. At the station, the police kept the activists in a cell, hands tied extremely tightly behind their back. The activists were not allowed to take bathroom breaks and were not told why the police have detained them.
When the action ended, the speaker, Marc Angel, was asked what did he think of the disruption, he replied: "It's good that young people took on the streets, and make us conscious about climate change. They are in their role, they can interrupt me personally."
The disruptive, but peaceful demonstration drew attention to the financial support offered by the European Union to subsidise the fossil fuel industries. The action was a cry for help, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions and restoring acts.
Sean Currie, Co-spokesperson for FYEG, emphasised the critical nature of the protest, stating, "The stakes are just way too high right now. With the EPP and Ursula von der Leyen pulling away from their climate ambition and flirting with the ECR at the Maastricht debate openly, we have to mobilise and escalate. The young people who went out to protest and vote 5 years ago are still there. They are still suffering from eco-anxiety and they are still wildly aware that these institutions don't care about our future."
Despite efforts by security personnel to disperse the activists, their determination remained unwavering. One activist, reflecting on the importance of the cause, remarked, "Can you imagine, that instead of my housing, my education, my working conditions, and my environment, the EU subsidises oil giants? This is unacceptable. They say the European Parliament is a project for peace, but then the governments and institutions are subsidising the mega-corporations that destroy our livelihoods. Then they also arrest peaceful protesters, who bring this up. This is crazy to me."
The protest serves as a poignant reminder to policymakers and the public alike of the pressing need for decisive action to combat climate change. As young people continue to voice their concerns and demand accountability, the call to end fossil fuel subsidies grows louder.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Vita Davydova,
Campaign and events officer of FYEG, +358458070989, vita.davydova@fyeg.org
