Climate protesters disrupt ‘Chevron-sponsored’ Congressional Baseball Game in US
US Capitol Police quickly tackled eight climate protesters on June 12 on the field during the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park in the US. The self-described “youth-led group”, Climate Defiance, took credit for the protest and shared videos of the incident on X.
“Congress sends billions of public $$ to subsidise deadly fossil fuels – but the police are tackling us instead. This Chevron-sponsored game cannot continue. This is unconscionable,” the protest group mentioned on social media in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Climate protesters disrupt Congressional Baseball Game
During the second inning, more than half a dozen climate protesters hopped the fence, putting on shirts stating ‘END FOSSIL FUELS’. The group had been protesting outside the stadium prior to the game and had been vocal for days leading out to the event about the planned protest.
Capitol Police took to X, noting: “Before the charity game, we were aware that some people planned to possibly protest. This was discussed during our planning meetings and put in our comprehensive action plan to ensure we had plenty of resources to swiftly respond.”
The Congressional Baseball Game is a bipartisan tradition dating back to 1909. Proceeds from the event are used to support DC-area charities. But those climate protesters were not the only group to disrupt the game on June 12. There is another cause luring attention.
Gaza lures attention at Congressional Baseball Game
Prior to the first pitch being thrown during the colours presentation, continuing into the national anthem, numerous Gaza protesters started demonstrating in opposition to the US government’s support of Israel. The brutal Gaza crisis has been in the limelight for eight months.
On October 7, 2023, dozens of Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israeli cities, killing some 1,200 people and taking several others hostages. Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza, on the other hand, have already claimed over 37,200 Palestinian lives.
