WILMINGTON — Reminiscent of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy Biden has, literally, set up camp just around the corner from President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington.
Occupy Biden is a Christmas week, round-the-clock climate justice occupation, set up at 909 Centre Road, calling on the president to take further executive action on climate issues.
Several organizations from Delaware and surrounding areas are participating in the movement, including Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future DE, Democratic Socialists of America, Philly Water Protectors, and the Sunrise Youth Movement.
As many as 20 individuals from the various organizations are planting their boots on the ground from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day to demonstrate their commitment to their cause. Their makeshift campsite is equipped with a wood stove, bathroom facilities, fire pits and an eating area for 24/7 occupation.
The movement’s primary goal is to urge President Biden to issue an executive order declaring a climate emergency and mandating that all federal government agencies oppose any new fossil fuel projects.
“You can’t look away from the climate crisis at this point. We saw it right here with Hurricane Ida,” said Karen Igou, with Extinction Rebellion DE. “This is all happening before our eyes, and why our government cannot address it and really combat it is absurd, so we are angry.”
Ms. Igou is one of many who has not left the campsite since Christmas Day.
“We are standing in solidarity with people who are already really vulnerable to the climate crisis and we’re making ourselves uncomfortable,” Ms. Igou said. “We’ve had a couple of cold nights, people are sleeping in their cars … We feel that to be more of a presence of action if we make ourselves vulnerable, or try to, because this is not near what people are experiencing, between fires and floods and starvation and war, which is all happening right now because of our climate crisis.”
Why occupy? Why Biden? Stay tuned to learn more about our goals and guiding principles.
As president of the most powerful nation in the world, there’s a lot Biden can do right now to act on the climate and ecological crisis—with or without the approval of congress. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/1DWvQR6lOq
— OccupyBiden (@OccupyBiden) December 13, 2021
She added that the next generation of youth may be the angriest at the climate crisis, as they will inherit what becomes of the earth.
Neha Veeragandhan, 17, from Charter School of Wilmington, spoke at an Occupy Biden press conference on Monday about the importance of youth activism. She said her parents wouldn’t let her camp out in the cold, but she has been a strong presence at the site all week.
“I’m so inspired by everyone who has been here day and night through the cold and colder,” she said.
Pier-Paolo Ergueta, 17, from Wilmington Friends, said the first major step to activism is spreading the message.
“As an individual, you can make small decisions like using less plastic and not leaving the water running,” Pier-Paolo said. “But spreading the message is the biggest thing an individual can do to corporations, a senator and the president even, especially as fortunate as a position we are in here in Delaware.”
Neither student was old enough to vote in the 2020 presidential election, but both are excited to participate in the 2022 midterms. They agreed that political activism and awareness is important for youth, as well.
“Even if you can’t vote yet, there are still people who will listen to you because you are the future voters for the next 70 to 80 years,” Neha said. “You can change the opinions of your parents and teachers and other people you know. I think it’s so powerful to hear from a youth perspective because people are inspired that so many young people care about the world.”
Pier-Paolo said he thinks President Biden is doing a fairly good job of focusing on climate change, even though passing bills through Congress is a tough task. Although his plans so far, such as Build Back Better, support climate infrastructure, Pier-Paolo said it is still not enough.
“We need to support what he is already doing but it is important to keep fighting and get what we can do to fulfill some of his promises, but also to fulfill promises to the next generations, being our own, that will suffer the most from these effects,” he said.
Thursday afternoon, the groups that make up Occupy Biden held a roundtable discussion to give people an opportunity to talk about climate change and how it is impacting their communities.
Today, Occupy Biden will host a New Year’s Eve celebration at the campsite, with headsets for a silent disco, bringing people together with local activists to build connections.
On the last day of their campout, around noon, a closing ceremony will provide opportunity for “direct action,” after the cumulation of seven consecutive days of climate activism.
Masks and COVID-19 vaccination cards are required at the campsite and Occupy Biden events.
Staff writer Rachel Sawicki
© Copyright (c) 2021 The Delaware State News
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USELESS morons… so sad
Hi ggfilthy. Clueless, brainless morons…pathetically sad.
What of their feckless parents, who probably PAID THEM TO TRAVEL to this ‘protest’…
then got reimbursed from Soros
Sleeping in CARS? If they were serious, it would be on bales of straw on the ground…
Wood burning stove??? If they were serious, it should be on solar powered heaters and equipment.
They are just being paid for by SOROS, to exact an agenda.
And joe brandon will be glad to oblige.
AND HOW Many drove or flew there! HOW MUCH GAS was consumed to get them all there, AND WHILE THEY ARE STAYING there?!
Talk about human waste disposal units ! The only thing they could possibly be any good for is – come to think of it nothing!!!!!!.
IF soylent green was real, i wouldn’t feed these morons, to PIGS.
“She added that the next generation of youth may be the angriest at the climate crisis, as they will inherit what becomes of the earth.”
If they can be rescued from all of the brainwashing and propaganda that you people have thrown at them—they will be angry at YOU. Angry for all of the lies and misinformation—for downplaying all of the doom-and-gloom predictions that never panned out—angry for smearing and trying to destroy the greatest nation on Earth—angry for the insane national debt that you left them an an inheritance.
That’s BIG wishful thinking, to wonder If these brainless morons, can ever be saved from their libtard brainwashing.
Ms. Igou said. “We’ve had a couple of cold nights, people are sleeping in their cars …
Leftist Nutjobs sleeping in GAS GUZZLING DEMONIC CARS ?!? For Shame !!
Occupy Brandon !!
Given the current status of energy production and consumption these people have little idea what they are asking for, what are they personally willing to give up to make the overall goal possible? They tout all these devices which of and by themselves do not pollute, thought many contail extremely hazardous materials that are not easily recyclable and toxic in themselves, but where will the electricity to run them or charge them going to come from, frozen up wind turbines or shut down when wind velocity is too high when they’re not killing birds; solar panels covered by snow or on cloudy days and at night. Did any of them think this through or are the brainwashed into thinking these things are all interconnected!
HECK, have they even thought of the impact on their HOUSING ENERGY costs, in regards to gas and electric bills??
Occupy Biden? Well Lord knows there is plenty of room in his head alone.
send these idiots to a place called giligans island.
The supreme example of how humanoids can be dumbed down to once-celled snowflakes. The lack of any brain functions to believe that man causes hurricanes and other such twit fodder is mind boggling to those who can reason successfully. And all they could muster is 20 humanoids ? Sure there are more where they come from – shame they continue to breed. But then again, where would good socialist democrats come from otherwise ?
THERE IS NO such thing, as a good democrat!!