Mid-October, 2021, Washington, DC, Protest at Department of the Interior
A group of Native American climate activists held a protest inside the U.S. Department of the Interior on Thursday, leading to 55 arrests. The protest was organized as part of the People v. Fossil Fuels movement, a five-day string of public demonstrations that call on the Biden admin to take more aggressive action against fossil fuel projects, such as the Line 3 Pipeline.
While at the Interior Dept, protesters were encountered by law enforcement from the Federal Protective Service (FPS). In a statement following the incident, People v. Fossil Fuels accused officers at the scene of acting 'aggressively.'
A spokesperson for FPS issued a competing statement. 'Interior Department leadership believes strongly in respecting and upholding the right to free speech and peaceful protest,' the spokesperson said. 'It is also our obligation to keep everyone safe. We will continue to do everything we can to de-escalate the situation while honoring first amendment rights.'
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