Climate protesters’ move to shut down a road in Nevada dramatically ended after the police got involved.
On Sunday, climate change activists blocked traffic as they set up a demonstration featuring signs about climate change in the middle of the road that led to the Burning Man festival. The traffic jam reportedly stretched for miles.
A video showed a Ranger truck with its lights on and sirens blaring driving alongside the road to get around the traffic. The Daily Mail reports the officer was from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Police.
The truck then swerved back onto the road and plowed through the demonstration, taking out the signs but avoiding the protesters.
After passing through the demonstration, the truck swung around, and the ranger stepped out.
“Get down! On the ground! On the ground now!” the officer could be heard telling the activists.
Watch the video below:
Words fail. Words utterly fail. Today a police truck PLOWED INTO a peaceful climate blockade. These are the people “entrusted” to keep us safe. These are the people we have granted a monopoly on the use of force. How is this ok?
— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) August 28, 2023
pic.twitter.com/dBNXKUJvkq
Climate Defiance, a climate change advocacy group, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Words fail. Words utterly fail. Today a police truck PLOWED INTO a peaceful climate blockade. These are the people ‘entrusted’ to keep us safe. These are the people we have granted a monopoly on the use of force. How is this ok?”
However, conservatives celebrated the move.
“You complain about the ‘monopoly of force’ for police yet you think it’s OK for your activists to unilaterally block people’s movement?” wrote conservative commentator Lauren Chen.
You complain about the "monopoly of force" for police yet you think it's OK for your activists to unilaterally block people's movement?
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) August 28, 2023
The account “End Wokeness” chimed in, “Climate activists tried to block a highway. Nevada Rangers bulldozed through the blockade and arrested them. This is how it’s done…”
Climate activists tried to block a highway. Nevada Rangers bulldozed through the blockade and arrested them.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 28, 2023
This is how it’s done…
pic.twitter.com/2G0sBMSB95
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wrote, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Let me offer you some free advice: don’t try this in Texas.”
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 28, 2023
Let me offer you some free advice: don't try this in Texas.https://t.co/YhgiqKjdT8
“Beers on me for these cops. Well done guys,” insisted conservative writer Noah Pollak.
Beers on me for these cops. Well done guys. https://t.co/rCtuvCJWrs
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) August 28, 2023
Another user wrote, “What makes this extra amusing is that the ‘Rangers’ are Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Police, and the backed up traffic is for Burning Man. Native American cops busting up a standoff between two tribes of white progressives is straight up comedy gold.”
What makes this extra amusing is that the "Rangers" are Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Police, and the backed up traffic is for Burning Man. Native American cops busting up a standoff between two tribes of white progressives is straight up comedy gold https://t.co/YQzvVmTuo2
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) August 28, 2023
Some of the demonstrators said they were protesting the “popularization” of Burning Man “among affluent people who do not live the stated values of Burning Man, resulting in the commodification of the event.”
“‘The time has come. Burning Man should aim to have the same type of political impact that Woodstock had on counter-culture,” one protester said, adding, “If we are honest about system change, it needs to start at ‘home’. Ban the lowest hanging fruit immediately: private jets.”
