This past weekend over 400,000 protesters descended on New York City in the largest demonstration in history around environmentalist issues and climate change. Directing their message to the U.N. Climate Summit held on Tuesday, activists took to the streets in the "People's Climate March" to urge world leaders to curb environmental destruction, rampant pollution, deforestation and global warming, and hold the multinational corporations responsible for the gravest offenses.
The protest was joined by hundreds of groups and organizations carrying a variety of messages, which included a "Free Palestine" contingent of the march which showed solidarity with the struggle for Palestinian freedom against apartheid and occupation.
Activists held their own three-day summit as a counterpart to the U.N. meeting which was open to the public. The "People's Climate Convergence" It offered dozens of informational workshops, panel discussions, and creative activities focused on connecting environmentalism to ongoing worldwide social struggles. One of the sessions, titled "Decolonizing Climate Justice" featured a session focusing on Palestinian issues.
"The aggression in Gaza was 'fueled' by a desire to control natural gas and how the subjugation of the Palestinian people includes the pillaging of resources, the advancement of a neoliberal project, that forces Palestinians to pay a disproportionate cost for the benefits Israeli corporations," said Palestinian-American organizer Amin Husain.