The Department of the Interior witnessed a violent demonstration on Thursday. Police were confronted by environmental activists who tried to seize control of the building.
Numerous people managed to get into Stewart Lee Udall’s Main Interior Building. Other people fought for their rights to let more people through the doors.
Officers trying to keep them out had “multiple injuries” as a result of the violence from the activists and one officer had to be taken to the hospital according to the Department of the Interior. To keep the demonstrators away, officers had to also use force to subdue some protesters.
I don’t know about you, but when I look at these videos, it looks pretty ‘insurrection-like’ to me.
“Let’s go!” one protester yells while trying to climb in through the door. As police block one of the entrances that are not locked, people cheer and crowd the steps in support. pic.twitter.com/aye5ydPKSa
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11) October 14, 2021
“Put the tasers down!” protesters chant at police who are using tasers to clear the crowd around the doorway of the Department of the Interior. Some protestors are shouting for help, while others are leaving the front door with injuries. pic.twitter.com/4SvT9tfuYT
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11) October 14, 2021
According to the Tweet, it looks like the officers were being pushed hard.
BREAKING: cops are brutally shoving pipeline activists at the Department of Interior – where @SecDebHaalandRefuses to exercise her power #StopLine3 pic.twitter.com/60qzqqHLus
— Resist Line 3 (@ResistLine3) October 14, 2021
Many people entered the building, and sat down on the floor to try to seize control of the space. They claimed they had “occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs,” which is an agency within the Interior Department. A statement was also made referring to 1972’s occupation of the BIA. In that time, 500-800 Native Americans occupied the building for six days and refused to leave.
Here’s the scene inside the Department of the Interior where climate activists are sitting in a circle in an attempt to occupy the building. I’m outside where more protesters are attempting to enter. ⬇️ https://t.co/WTFK24K67I
— Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11) October 14, 2021
But this didn’t last as long.
A group of thieves also damaged the exterior of the Department of Commerce building, spraying fake oils on its front steps.
They demand that the Biden Administration end all fossil fuels.
The incident saw 55 arrests. It was part of an ongoing five-day effort against different targets in D.C., to further their agenda.
So I’m curious where the left and media’s condemnation of this violent action is? This seems missing.
I found the Department of the Interior’s response to the incident, particularly considering the number of officers who were hurt.
Melissa Schwartz is the spokesperson of the agency.
“Interior Department leadership believes strongly in respecting and upholding the right to free speech and peaceful protest,” Schwartz said in a statement. “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.”
It sounds almost like she’s apologizing. Where’s the condemnation of the violence and injuring the officers? Shouldn’t the attitude be more ‘While you have a right to protest, nothing justifies using violence on the officers and there are ways to peacefully protest.’
The media and officials’ reaction seems very different to that of the Capitol riot.
Where’s CNN’s Don Lemon to weigh in on this and tell us how bad it is to storm a federal building?
I’m also guessing that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) isn’t going to weigh in on this and talk about how fearful it made her, despite not being in the same building.
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