Leftist Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has incited radical environmental groups to be “more aggressive” in their demonstrations against the fossil fuel industry. Multiple U.S. cities are being targeted by these protesters, according to The Daily Mail. Joined by over 100 members from groups such as Climate Defiance and Declare Emergency, Tlaib hosted a video call where she discussed the climate activism and legislation currently in place. She applauded the aggressiveness of activists in the past but urged them to take even more “direct action.”
Tlaib’s encouragement has been met with controversy, as the groups she addressed have a long history of destruction and public disturbances. Declare Emergency, for example, is currently led by Roger Hallam, who cofounded a climate group that staged a week-long protest in London in 2019, costing the city millions of dollars. Tim Martin, a member of the environmental group and activist, is facing jail time for smearing paint on Edgar Degas’ “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Climate Defiance, another group Tlaib addressed in her video call, has proudly taken responsibility for blockading the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the past. They claim that this was just “warmup” and have planned to protest on federal properties in New York and D.C. in August. Doing notorious, nonviolent civil disobedience, in their words, is a “necessary and important part of getting us to where we need to be.”
It is concerning that a sitting member of Congress like Tlaib is openly endorsing these unbalanced extremist groups who are known to carry out violent acts. In the Congresswoman’s opinion, “direct action gets the goods” if the legislative process does not fulfil the Democrats’ agenda. It is unclear what these groups’ end goal is, but their demonstrations have resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in damages to public property and put public safety at risk.
Tlaib, the member of the notorious “Squad,” has a history of making outrageous and sometimes anti-Semitic comments. Last year, she suggested that people who bank with JPMorgan Chase should “close their account” because CEO Jamie Dimon said his bank does not have “a policy against funding new oil and gas products.” Her extremist views are dangerous and threaten the stability of the United States. Her calls to action to these radical groups only further fuel their dangerous behavior. The public should be wary of their actions and the harm they may cause.
