Just Stop Oil activists smash cake on King Charles III waxwork at Madam Tussauds
FOX NewsOct 26, 2022
The 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.
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.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
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
Climate protesters 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
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.
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