Europe Cracks Down on 'Direct Action' Climate Protests

Facts

• European countries are reportedly clamping down on "direct action" climate change protesters who have made headlines recently for high-profile acts including defacing famous art and blocking traffic.¹
• While Germany and France have allegedly invoked legal powers used against organized crime and extremist groups to track and wiretap climate activists, the UK has made it illegal for people to glue or lock themselves to public or private property.²
• In addition, France has banned the climate action group Les Soulevements de La Terre, subjecting it to aggressive surveillance techniques. Germany is reportedly using preventative detention to stop citizens from protesting.¹
• Most European countries have focused heavily on climate action groups Extinction Rebellion and The Last Generation, whose members have allegedly blocked traffic, glued themselves to buildings, or defaced artwork.³
• Authorities in the UK and Germany say they are trying to prevent damaging criminal actions, while the French government has previously stated its actions are part of an effort to combat "radicalization."²
• In response to the crackdown on protests, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that, while governments must uphold the law, "people also have a fundamental right to demonstrate peacefully to have their voices heard."⁴

Sources: ¹FOX News, ²Reuters, ³GEO, and ⁴Euronews.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by OpenDemocracy. These anti-protesting laws and actions are an alarming overreaction by the state and suggest a distressing slide toward authoritarianism. Targeting non-violent actors with the same vitriol authorities use to address organized crime and terrorism is not only ridiculous, it's horrifying. Instead of addressing the threat of climate change, European countries have turned into surveillance states.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by FOX News. Climate protestors have recently been committing disruptive and destructive acts — they cannot be allowed to disturb law and order or threaten the public. By placing climate activists on surveillance, authorities can prevent damaging criminal actions during their demonstrations and punish any miscreants for breaking the law.
• Cynical narrative, as provided by Clean Energy Wire. While climate change is a serious issue threatening our current way of life, radical activism and disruptive protests are not the answer. By disrupting the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, groups like Last Generation and Extinction Rebellion have alienated much of their target audiences and have caused polarization even within their movement.

Predictions