On the 24th of June in the harbour of Amsterdam we will participate in acts of civil disobedience together in order to strongly disrupt the fossil fuel industry. Due to the urgency of the climate problem we see this as necessary and justified – to go from public protest to civil disobedience.
We need to stop oil, coal and gas as soon as possible in order to halt further climate change. More and more people are starting to realize this. People are stopping coal power stations in India, pipe lines in the US, lignite coal mines in Germany, fracking in Brazil and oil drilling in Nigeria. Together we form a global movement against the climate destruction wreaked by the fossil industry.
Exactly two year after the historic court case of Urgenda (and 900 others) we will go into action. In Amsterdam, which is the largest petrol harbour in the world and the second largest coal harbour in Europe, we will together draw a line against further transport and burning of fossil fuels – one of the major causes of climate change and its dramatic consequences. We will stand in solidarity with all people globally who are hit by the social and ecological destructions of the fossil fuel industry.
This action will offer different participation levels. Everyone who wants to participate will be able to. Experience with similar forms of protest is not required. Using a variety of banners, symbolic objects and posters, we will focus attention on the many destructive effects of the fossil fuel industry.
We will together be responsible for the success of the action. During the action we will create a situation that is transparent for all participants. We will support each other’s well being. We will block and occupy with our bodies and we will not damage machinery or infrastructure. The safety of the participants and the harbour employees is our highest priority. We are thoroughly prepared for a safe entrance to the action location and a safe execution of our blockade. Everyone will be well informed on the safety rules in the harbour which deal with handling fossil fuels.
We will act calmly and in a controlled manner. We will act in a de-escalating manner and we will not be provoked. Our action is not aimed at the harbour employees or the police. Our actions are aimed at the policy of the fossil fuel industry, the harbour company and the government. We understand that employees are dependent on their jobs to provide for themselves and their families. This is why we support the union’s demand for a coal fund. For us, climate justice does not only mean keeping fossil fuels in the ground. It also means that the necessary transition will provide fair employment opportunities for everyone, in an economy that supports the earth and all its inhabitants, now and in the future.
Download the action agreement as pdf.