Dozens of people protesting fossil fuel projects were arrested Thursday after they stormed the Interior Department, a move which led to "multiple injuries" and one officer being transported to a hospital.
Demanding that President Biden declare climate change an emergency, People vs. Fossil Fuels, the group responsible for the protest, organized a week-long series of demonstrations against the president as he approves different fossil fuel projects.
Following the protest, Interior Department spokesperson Melissa Schwartz released a statement through a series of tweets.
"Early this afternoon, a group of protestors illegally entered the Stewart Lee Udall Main Interior Building," Schwartz said. "Federal Protective Service personnel responded to the area to mitigate the situation. Multiple injuries were sustained by security personnel, and one officer has been transported to a nearby hospital.
CNN says they were mostly peaceful.
According to video footage from the Washington Post's Ellie Silverman, activists could be seen climbing up doors and pushing officers back as they tried to force their way into the Interior Department.
officers were forced to draw their tasers as "extreme environmentalist protesters" attempted to make their way inside.
Event organizers allege that "police tased and hit multiple people with batons" and "55 people were arrested and taken away to DC Metro police stations."
Demanding that President Biden declare climate change an emergency, People vs. Fossil Fuels, the group responsible for the protest, organized a week-long series of demonstrations against the president as he approves different fossil fuel projects.
Following the protest, Interior Department spokesperson Melissa Schwartz released a statement through a series of tweets.
"Early this afternoon, a group of protestors illegally entered the Stewart Lee Udall Main Interior Building," Schwartz said. "Federal Protective Service personnel responded to the area to mitigate the situation. Multiple injuries were sustained by security personnel, and one officer has been transported to a nearby hospital.
CNN says they were mostly peaceful.
According to video footage from the Washington Post's Ellie Silverman, activists could be seen climbing up doors and pushing officers back as they tried to force their way into the Interior Department.
officers were forced to draw their tasers as "extreme environmentalist protesters" attempted to make their way inside.
Event organizers allege that "police tased and hit multiple people with batons" and "55 people were arrested and taken away to DC Metro police stations."