On June 30 the Supreme Court ruled to severely limit the capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict emissions from power plants. Two days later, around 100 climate activists gathered at 2 p.m. outside the San Diego Hall of Justice to condemn the ruling and demand executive climate action from Joe Biden. The rally was organized by San Diego 350, Youth Versus Oil, and Youth 4 Climate with participation from community organizations like the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Spring Valley Cleanup Crew.
The 6 to 3 ruling in West Virginia vs. EPA is another blow to the U.S. working class by the reactionary, unelected Supreme Court. It came amidst rulings to eviscerate abortion rights and Native sovereignty as well. With the anti-people nature of the Supreme Court laid bare, many thousands across the country are flooding the streets to fight back.
Speaking from the steps of the Hall of Justice, Victoria Abrenica of Spring Valley Cleanup Crew told the crowd, “This is the same court that took away my rights over my body because they were ‘pro-life.'”
Abrenica continued, “And less than a week later, they started closing the gap between church and state, stealing indigenous land and weakening our country’s Environmental Protection Agency. They are not pro-life. They are not in office to serve us and they clearly need to go.”
The crowd was diverse in age, gender and nationality. Signs spread throughout read, “Don’t frack our future,” and “Abolish the Supreme Court!”
After the rally, Liberation News spoke with Danielle Wilkerson. Wilkerson is the Equity and Action Coordinator at San Diego 350. She is leading local organizing for the People vs. Fossil Fuels campaign, a nationwide coalition effort.
Wilkerson said, “The campaign focuses on Biden as the stakeholder. He has executive authority. He also made a lot of – to be blunt – bullshit promises that he did not follow through on.”
Wilkerson thinks we need to keep the pressure on Biden to force him to take necessary action, stating, “It is now this coalition’s primary goal to hold him accountable for all of those promises he made.”
Whether or not Biden concedes to the demands of brave, young climate activists and organizers, the fight against climate change needs a diverse and sustained people’s movement. Such a movement must confront the fossil fuel giants and the greatest polluter this planet has ever seen: the U.S. military.
