Open Letter: Citi must stop repressive targeting of climate activists

On August 5, 239 organizations and individuals sent a letter to Citi executives to express solidarity with the Summer of Heat campaign leaders who are being targeted with false charges and spurious arrests by Citi’s private security team.

“We stand in steadfast solidarity with Summer of Heat activists’ right to peacefully advocate for a livable future and an end to the climate crisis, and the right of all activists to protest against injustice,” reads the letter. “We urge Citi and NYPD to respect protestors’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and free speech, and cease their repressive tactics.”

The signers further call on Citi to meet the campaign’s demands to stop funding fossil fuels instead of attempting to silence climate defenders.

Since June 10, Summer of Heat activists have blockaded the doors to Citi’s global headquarters 15 times, 3,500 people have participated in actions, and 462 people have been arrested. The Summer of Heat on Wall Street is a sustained campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience that is bringing the climate crisis to the doors of the world’s biggest fossil fuel funders.  The campaign has been covered by the New York Times and Bloomberg.

In response to the escalating pressure, Citi’s private security team is collaborating with police to retaliate against leaders of the movement. For example, Alec Connon, Director of Stop the Money Pipeline, and climate activist John Mark Rozendaal were falsely accused of hitting a man believed to be a senior member of Citi’s private security team, who then filed a temporary restraining order against them. Now, if they go back to Citi’s headquarters before their Sep. 6 court date, they could face up to 7 years in prison.

On Thursday, August 8th, John Mark Rozendaal and Alec Connon will defy Citi’s attempts to silence peaceful protest. Rozendaal will play a live cello performance in the public plaza outside Citi’s HQ called A Plea for Our Future, and Connon will also attend.

The Summer of Heat leaders refuse to be silenced or intimidated, and are vowing not to back down in the face of Citi’s repression. They will continue to hold Citi accountable for its role in the destruction of our planet and devastation to frontline communities.