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| A violent ranger, employed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Nation, plowed into a road barricade where women were chained to the blockade, drew his weapon, and threw a woman to the ground during violent arrests on Sunday. |
Ranger Violently Rams and Arrests Climate Protesters at Burning Man Roadblock
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News
Full video of climate protesters' roadblock, protesting Burning Man on the road into the event, and violent arrests by rangers on YouTube https://youtu.be/e8fDM60MS84
Update -- September 5: Burning Man vehicles are making their way out of the mud now. On Monday, 70,000 festival-goers remained stuck in the mud at Burning Man after heavy rains and flooding. They were told to shelter in place, as food and water ran low, and toilets couldn't be cleaned. One death was reported during heavy rain. The road in and out was closed except for ambulances until the ground dried out. The annual event is on BLM land, and the BLM charges Burning Man more than $3 million for the special use fee. The area considers it an economic boost. Washoe County said it brought in $60 million in tourism-related revenues in 2019. However, already this year, the local Sheriff said people are leaving their vehicles and garbage behind in the mud. It is now an ecological mess. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/05/us/burning-man-storms-shelter-exodus-tuesday/index.html
Ranger crashes through climate protesters roadblock at Burning Man, endangering lives, carries out violent arrests
BLACK ROCK CITY, Nevada (August 27, 2023) – Climate activists shut down the highway leading to the Burning Man Festival on Sunday. "Get off the f--king road," a Ranger yells from his vehicle over a loudspeaker. A Ranger violently rammed the roadblock with his tribal vehicle, where women were chained to the barricade, endangering lives, and then pointed his weapon at protesters at close range.
Rangers, employed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Nation, and driving tribal vehicles, violently arrested climate protesters. The out-of-control ranger crashing into the barricade threw one woman to the ground, kneeing her in the back, and then a second ranger jumped on her legs. The excessive force by tribal rangers continued during the arrests. Rangers inflicted unnecessary pain during the arrests, as shown on videos.
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| A Ranger employed by Pyramid Lake Paiute violently arrested this woman at the barricade. |
Burning Man festival-goers, delayed on the highway, are shown tearing down the roadblock. Climate protesters were assaulted during the heated debate. As the conflict continued, climate protesters used their bodies to block the vehicles, standing in front of trucks pulling campers.
The climate protesters, Seven Circles, said they stood for anti-capitalism, pointing out the excessive waste of resources at Burning Man by tens of thousands of affluent festival goers in the desert.
"Ban private jets, single-use plastics, unnecessary propane burning, and unlimited generator use per capita at the nine-day event in Black Rock City, Nevada," Seven Circles said.
Climate protesters said Burning Man was created as anti-establishment and counter-culture -- yet today the waste of resources by the wealthy reveals they are part of the problem.
“The time has come. Burning Man should aim to have the same type of political impact that Woodstock had on counter-culture. If we are honest about system change, it needs to start at 'home.'"
"Ban the lowest hanging fruit immediately -- private jets. No single individual should have the luxury of emitting 10 to 20 times more carbon pollution than a commercial airline passenger. Burners, rebel with us,” said Mun Chong, a Burner and organizer with Extinction Rebellion. (The full statement is below.)
BREAKING: ACTIVISTS DISRUPT BURNING MAN BY BLOCKING TRAFFIC ON ROUTE TO BLACK ROCK CITY
Statement by Seven Circles
info.sevencircles@proton.me
Los Angeles Times reported on Monday, "One video shows a white pickup truck that appears to be from the Pyramid Lake Ranger Station, a tribal law enforcement agency, broadcasting a message over the vehicle’s PA system telling demonstrators, “This is a state route,” and “Everybody will be arrested” if they don’t disperse and get off the road.
“Thirty seconds, send your leader to my vehicle, let’s talk, get off the f— road,” someone can be heard saying.
Another clip shows a ranger’s truck blasting through the barricade with its sirens and lights sounding through the desert. An announcement comes over a truck’s PA system telling demonstrators, “I’m gonna take all of you out, you better move.” An official then gets out of the truck with a gun drawn, yelling at protesters to “get down now.”
The protesters do not appear to be armed, with demonstrators repeatedly saying they are “nonviolent.”
Several protesters were put in handcuffs at the scene.
Five activists, two from New York, one from Washington, one from California, and another from the country of Malta, were cited and released. One activist refused medical treatment, tribal police said.
“Thirty seconds, send your leader to my vehicle, let’s talk, get off the f— road,” someone can be heard saying.
Another clip shows a ranger’s truck blasting through the barricade with its sirens and lights sounding through the desert. An announcement comes over a truck’s PA system telling demonstrators, “I’m gonna take all of you out, you better move.” An official then gets out of the truck with a gun drawn, yelling at protesters to “get down now.”
The protesters do not appear to be armed, with demonstrators repeatedly saying they are “nonviolent.”
Several protesters were put in handcuffs at the scene.
Seven Circles called the ranger's actions excessive
“The excessive response is a snapshot of the institutional violence and police brutality that is being shown to anyone who is actively working to bring about systemic change within the United States, including the climate movement,” climate protesters said on Tuesday.
Associated Press reports that Emily Collins and her partner, Tom Diacono, traveled from Italy to participate in the protest, opting to skip Burning Man this year after attending the festival for many years.
“The planet is burning,” Diacono said. “It's a bit absurd to continue with the festival while the planet is begging for a change.”
Diacono said they parked the travel trailer across the two-lane highway, placing signs around their blockade that included a call for a ban on private jets. Diacono had expected to make some festival attendees angry by causing traffic jams, but the demonstration's outcome took him by complete surprise, he said.
“If you asked me to imagine 100 scenarios," Diacono said, "police ramming us with their truck was not one of them."
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Nation said the tribal rangers actions are "under review."
Five activists, two from New York, one from Washington, one from California, and another from the country of Malta, were cited and released. One activist refused medical treatment, tribal police said.
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| Those arrested were handcuffed and put in the back of a ranger's truck. Freedom News TV on Twitter https://twitter.com/i/status/1696219470078071286 |
Statement by Seven Circles
info.sevencircles@proton.me
Black Rock City, Nevada – In an urgent call to action, activists from Seven Circles, a coalition of activist organizations, blocked traffic into Burning Man on the event’s first day open to the general public. The group blocked a main thoroughfare using a trailer, lock-ons, and banners with the words “BURNERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!”, “ABOLISH CAPITALISM”, and “GENERAL STRIKE FOR CLIMATE”.
This action follows a long history of nonviolent civil disobedience as a tool for societal change, such as sit-ins during the civil rights movement and traffic obstruction by women suffragettes. The purpose of the blockade is to draw attention to capitalism's inability to address climate and ecological breakdown. The blockade is also in protest against the popularization of Burning Man among affluent people who do not live the stated values of Burning Man, resulting in the commodification of the event. The group emphasizes the current existential crisis and the importance of honesty when social collapse is at risk. [1]
THE CRITIQUE
Started 37 years ago, Burning Man is an ongoing radical social experiment where attendees practice bold principles that challenge the status quo, representing a counter-culture to the consumer-driven aspects of the default world that are harmful. [2] [3] Criticisms from the group articulate concerns that the event's goals of attaining carbon negativity and ecological regeneration for Black Rock City by 2030 are greenwashing and insufficient to tackle the pressing crisis; much more can and must be done. [4] [5] The group believes that Burning Man's apolitical stance to date is detrimental to its claimed values, especially as carbon emissions continue to rise despite government and corporate commitments to reduce CO2 emissions by more than half by 2030. [5] The group has highlighted that a majority of event-goers hold political beliefs that would support Burning Man becoming more politically engaged. [6] [7]
DEMANDS
The group demands the following of the leadership of Burning Man:
1. BE RADICALLY HONEST: Admit that infinite growth is incompatible with sustaining the Earth's systems and that the green transition is a lie perpetuated by those in power. Burning Man must advocate for system change on both political and economic levels.
2. MOBILIZE OUR COMMUNITY: Formally issue a call to action to the Burning Man community, urging Burners to actively participate in direct action and support general strikes to initiate system change. This effort should be done in collaboration with existing social justice and environmental movements.
3. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Ban private jets, single-use plastics, unnecessary propane burning, and unlimited generator use per capita at the nine-day event in Black Rock City, Nevada. [8] [9] [10]
Burners and the broader public are being called to support the action by signing a petition aimed at pressuring the organization to take immediate action.
See Video Here. - Credit @ScooterCasterNY
See Twitter post here.
QUOTES
“We do not have a climate problem, the climate is behaving exactly in line with the laws of physics. We have an economic system problem, and that economic system is capitalism. History shows that capitalism cannot be reformed. It cannot be changed from the 'inside'. Are we really ready to sacrifice everything for an outdated, unequal economic system? The time to evolve has come”, said Thomas Diocano, a Burner and co-founder of Rave Revolution.
“Burning Man itself was born as a protest to the growth-dependent capitalist default world. As Burners, we understand the power of community and have shown time and time again that we can create a new society, with new rules that include dignity for every living being. We must extend these principles into the default world after 37 years of practice. We can no longer remain apolitical in a time of crisis,” said Emily Collins, a Burner and co-founder of Rave Revolution.
This action follows a long history of nonviolent civil disobedience as a tool for societal change, such as sit-ins during the civil rights movement and traffic obstruction by women suffragettes. The purpose of the blockade is to draw attention to capitalism's inability to address climate and ecological breakdown. The blockade is also in protest against the popularization of Burning Man among affluent people who do not live the stated values of Burning Man, resulting in the commodification of the event. The group emphasizes the current existential crisis and the importance of honesty when social collapse is at risk. [1]
THE CRITIQUE
Started 37 years ago, Burning Man is an ongoing radical social experiment where attendees practice bold principles that challenge the status quo, representing a counter-culture to the consumer-driven aspects of the default world that are harmful. [2] [3] Criticisms from the group articulate concerns that the event's goals of attaining carbon negativity and ecological regeneration for Black Rock City by 2030 are greenwashing and insufficient to tackle the pressing crisis; much more can and must be done. [4] [5] The group believes that Burning Man's apolitical stance to date is detrimental to its claimed values, especially as carbon emissions continue to rise despite government and corporate commitments to reduce CO2 emissions by more than half by 2030. [5] The group has highlighted that a majority of event-goers hold political beliefs that would support Burning Man becoming more politically engaged. [6] [7]
DEMANDS
The group demands the following of the leadership of Burning Man:
1. BE RADICALLY HONEST: Admit that infinite growth is incompatible with sustaining the Earth's systems and that the green transition is a lie perpetuated by those in power. Burning Man must advocate for system change on both political and economic levels.
2. MOBILIZE OUR COMMUNITY: Formally issue a call to action to the Burning Man community, urging Burners to actively participate in direct action and support general strikes to initiate system change. This effort should be done in collaboration with existing social justice and environmental movements.
3. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Ban private jets, single-use plastics, unnecessary propane burning, and unlimited generator use per capita at the nine-day event in Black Rock City, Nevada. [8] [9] [10]
Burners and the broader public are being called to support the action by signing a petition aimed at pressuring the organization to take immediate action.
See Video Here. - Credit @ScooterCasterNY
See Twitter post here.
QUOTES
“We do not have a climate problem, the climate is behaving exactly in line with the laws of physics. We have an economic system problem, and that economic system is capitalism. History shows that capitalism cannot be reformed. It cannot be changed from the 'inside'. Are we really ready to sacrifice everything for an outdated, unequal economic system? The time to evolve has come”, said Thomas Diocano, a Burner and co-founder of Rave Revolution.
“Burning Man itself was born as a protest to the growth-dependent capitalist default world. As Burners, we understand the power of community and have shown time and time again that we can create a new society, with new rules that include dignity for every living being. We must extend these principles into the default world after 37 years of practice. We can no longer remain apolitical in a time of crisis,” said Emily Collins, a Burner and co-founder of Rave Revolution.
“The time has come. Burning Man should aim to have the same type of political impact that Woodstock had on counter-culture. If we are honest about system change, it needs to start at “home”. Ban the lowest-hanging fruit immediately: private jets. No single individual should have the luxury of emitting 10 to 20 times more carbon pollution than a commercial airline passenger. Burners, rebel with us,” said Mun Chong, a Burner and organizer with Extinction Rebellion.
“Scientific discoveries have given us so many opportunities to change trajectory from the impending climate crisis but the momentum of fossil fuels has barely slowed even as we all begin to feel the effects. Please listen to our warnings and join us, we desperately need you to bring about the change that is possible,” said William Livernois, a scientist with Scientist Rebellion.
NOTES
[1] https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085452
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/30/capitalism-is-killing-the-planet-its-time-to-stop-buying-into-our-own-destruction
[3] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Default%20World
[4] https://burningman.medium.com/burning-man-project-2030-environmental-sustainability-roadmap-c79657e18146
[5] https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2023/07/24/greenwashing-navigating-the-risk/
[6] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/cop27-world-track-increase-emissions-106-by-2030-un-report-2022-10-26/
[7] https://blackrockcitycensus.org/sociodemo#voting-and-politics
[8] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/09/what-the-data-says-about-americans-views-of-climate-change/
[9] Ripple, William J., et al. "World scientists' warning of a climate emergency." BioScience (2019)
[10] Lynch, Michael J., et al. "Measuring the ecological impact of the wealthy: Excessive consumption, ecological disorganization, green crime, and justice." Social Currents 6.4 (2019): 377-395
[11] Chen, Yuan, et al. "Single-use plastics: Production, usage, disposal, and adverse impacts." Science of the total environment 752 (2021): 141772.
ABOUT SEVEN CIRCLES
Seven Circles is a diverse coalition that uses non-violent direct action to raise class consciousness within the climate movement. It was formed with the objective of uniting labor unions, climate scientists, student bodies, socialist organizations, and the general public in demanding a change to the current economic system—capitalism—to avert the risk of social collapse.
Hashtags: #BurnersOfTheWorldUnite! #SevenCircles
“Scientific discoveries have given us so many opportunities to change trajectory from the impending climate crisis but the momentum of fossil fuels has barely slowed even as we all begin to feel the effects. Please listen to our warnings and join us, we desperately need you to bring about the change that is possible,” said William Livernois, a scientist with Scientist Rebellion.
NOTES
[1] https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085452
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/30/capitalism-is-killing-the-planet-its-time-to-stop-buying-into-our-own-destruction
[3] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Default%20World
[4] https://burningman.medium.com/burning-man-project-2030-environmental-sustainability-roadmap-c79657e18146
[5] https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2023/07/24/greenwashing-navigating-the-risk/
[6] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/cop27-world-track-increase-emissions-106-by-2030-un-report-2022-10-26/
[7] https://blackrockcitycensus.org/sociodemo#voting-and-politics
[8] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/09/what-the-data-says-about-americans-views-of-climate-change/
[9] Ripple, William J., et al. "World scientists' warning of a climate emergency." BioScience (2019)
[10] Lynch, Michael J., et al. "Measuring the ecological impact of the wealthy: Excessive consumption, ecological disorganization, green crime, and justice." Social Currents 6.4 (2019): 377-395
[11] Chen, Yuan, et al. "Single-use plastics: Production, usage, disposal, and adverse impacts." Science of the total environment 752 (2021): 141772.
ABOUT SEVEN CIRCLES
Seven Circles is a diverse coalition that uses non-violent direct action to raise class consciousness within the climate movement. It was formed with the objective of uniting labor unions, climate scientists, student bodies, socialist organizations, and the general public in demanding a change to the current economic system—capitalism—to avert the risk of social collapse.
Hashtags: #BurnersOfTheWorldUnite! #SevenCircles
.
The full video shows climate protesters being assaulted as people attempt to drag off the blockade.
A series of screenshots shows violent arrests by rangers
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| Violent arrest by rangers shown on top of one woman |
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| After brutal arrest, this woman's face is bloodied. Screenshot by Censored News |
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| Tribal rangers used excessive force, making arrests more painful than necessary, as shown on video. |
| As the mud dried out, 70,000 people began leaving, with wait times up to seven hours to get out. News coverage Associated Press on ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tribal-ranger-draws-weapon-climate-activists-blocking-road-102660277 Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-08-28/burning-man-protesters-block-traffic-black-rock-city-nevada NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/climate-change-activists-blockaded-burning-man-accuse-police-excessive-rcna102370 Freedom News breaking news article, with video on YouTube: https://freedomnews.tv/2023/08/27/burning-man-festival-road-shut-down-attendees-fight-protesters-and-rangers-ram-blockade-and-point-gun-at-activists-head-nevada/ Article copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News, may not be republished without written permission, or used for any commercial or for any revenue-producing purpose. |
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