On Monday, climate vandals targeted large American banks with spray paint and protests in a bid to get the financial institutions to stop funding fossil fuel projects. In New York, Citigroup and Bank of America were hit with raucous protests and vandalism in the form of graffiti sprayed on their buildings. A Wells Fargo bank in San Francisco was also the scene of a large protest, in which activists chained themselves to the doors of the facility.
Climate-hysteric groups including Climate Organizing Hub, Extinction Rebellion, Green Faith, Oil and Gas Network, and Stop the Money Pipeline were involved in the protests, although no specific group has taken responsibility for the vandalism.
The protesters demanded that the banks stop funding fossil fuel projects immediately in a push to create more ESG-friendly investments for the big banks.
“The largest banks in the world invest hundreds of billions of dollars in new fossil fuel infrastructure,” said Jim Gordon, a protester outside of Citigroup in Manhattan. “I’m not generally a person that likes to go out in the street and do things like this, but I have grandkids and I’m terrified for their future.”
Baby boomers were among the most vocal protesters, with a group called Third Act threatening to use their substantial investments in such banks to push for more climate-friendly investing.
“As retirees, we have a lot of money in places like Citibank, Fidelity, Vanguard, Chase and Wells Fargo, and they’re using our money to fund new fossil fuel projects. We’re asking them to stop it,” said Siuli Gowilt, a member of Third Act.
The groups also protested annual meetings at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo.
Apparently, the protesters weren’t happy with the outcome of those meetings.
“Hey, @BankofAmerica @WellsFargo @Citi- the results of your shareholder meetings are disgraceful,” tweeted Third Act. “Your investors are far from being the people most impacted by your choices to keep expanding the fossil fuel industry. More & more people are catching on, and we’re relentless.”
The banks did little about the protests except issue tepid statements about how they understood where the rage was coming from and how they were trying to do better when it comes to climate change.
“Citi respects the advocacy of climate activists and their right to protest. We recognize the importance of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. That’s why we’re investing in clean energy solutions through our net zero commitments and our $1 trillion commitment to sustainable finance,” Citigroup said in a statement. “Our approach reflects the need to transition while also continuing to meet global energy needs.”
While these climate groups are apparently on the ESG (environment, social, and governance) bandwagon, their caterwauling is falling on deaf ears in many states. Dozens of states are currently suing the Biden administration over its ESG-friendly Investment Duties Rule implemented last year by the Labor Department because it “undermines key protections for retirement savings of 152 million workers — approximately two-thirds of the U.S. adult population and totaling $12 trillion in assets — in the name of promoting environmental, social, and governance (‘ESG’) factors in investing, including the Biden Administration’s stated desire to address climate change.”
In addition, the GOP-led House of Representatives is set to look into ESG funding, claiming that it’s little more than a scheme to force large fiduciaries to invest in woke culture and climate hysteria.
“At its core, ESG is merely partisan politics masquerading as responsible corporate governance. A major ESG ‘policy centerpiece’ is stifling investments in oil and gas, and Wall Street firms have ‘brag[ged] about their coordinated efforts to choke off investment in energy.’ Boycotting certain energy investment, however, is just a subset … of ESG-related goals,” read a letter from six House members to Climate Action +, a group looking to push ESG on banks.
So, while climate crazies spraypaint buildings, glue themselves to tennis courts, and throw soup at priceless pieces of art to protest fossil fuels — which, like it or not, our society still depends upon to power our lives — many states in America are fighting back against all the nonsense. While it’s frustrating to witness the rampant delusion of climate hysterics, it’s good to know that there is still some common sense out there.
