{"id":5406,"date":"2022-10-21T12:58:49","date_gmt":"2022-10-21T10:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/?p=5406"},"modified":"2022-11-30T15:23:16","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T14:23:16","slug":"why-climate-activists-shut-down-fossil-fuel-giant-totalenergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/why-climate-activists-shut-down-fossil-fuel-giant-totalenergies\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighting TotalEnergies: Why climate activists shut down a giant fossil fuel corporation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On 8th and 9th October 2022, activists from the Code Rouge\/Rood coalition in Belgium protested against the fossil fuel industry<\/a>, in particular the multibillion-euro petroleum company TotalEnergies. During the action, over 1000 activists blocked TotalEnergies\u2019 sites in Feluy and Li\u00e8ge by occupying railway tracks and roads near TotalEnergies\u2019 depots. The protest caused the company to temporarily shut down their entire activities in Belgium.<\/em>  <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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But who are the people behind \u2018Code Rouge\u2019? Why was \u2018Code Rouge\u2019 protesting against TotalEnergies and the fossil fuel industry? And why are more and more people using civil disobedience as a tool to stand up against the climate crisis, the energy crisis and poor workers\u2019 rights?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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The Greens\/EFA MEP, Malte Gall\u00e9e, joined the protesters that weekend as a parliamentary observer.  After the action, he sat down with our climate campaign intern, Michael, to talk about what he saw.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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\"Malte<\/figure>
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Malte Gall\u00e9e<\/strong> is a Greens\/EFA MEP from Germany. He fights for climate protection and for a sustainable industry. He is also the youngest MEP in Brussels.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\"Michael<\/figure>
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Michael Staniszewski<\/strong> is a Fridays for Future (FFF) climate justice activist from Germany. He worked on the movement\u2019s #NotMyTaxonomy campaign and actions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Who is Code Rouge\/Rood and what do they want?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Code Rouge\/Rood is a coalition of various organisations and groups engaged in the fight for climate justice. In the face of climate disaster, skyrocketing energy bills, human rights violations, neo-colonialism, wars and conflicts, they demand a just energy transition away from fossil fuels towards a renewable energy system that works for all. Their name \u201cCode Rouge\/Rood\u201d (in English: Code Red) underlines the urgency for climate action.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Why use civil disobedience against the climate crisis?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/div>
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Michael:<\/strong> You accompanied the non-violent mass civil disobedience action \u201cCode Rouge\/Rood\u201d as a parliamentary observer. Have you ever witnessed a protest like this before?<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Malte Gall\u00e9e MEP: <\/strong>I have actually never actively participated in this kind of action before. But I was involved in supporting logistics during an action by \u201cEnde Gel\u00e4nde<\/a>\u201d [the German climate justice movement calling for an end to coal power], where they blocked coal infrastructure in Germany<\/a>. So I do know and value this form of protest. As a parliamentary observer at Code Rouge\/Rood, I had to monitor closely what both the activists and the police were doing.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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During the weekend, I was a legal observer for the @coderoodrouge<\/a> blockade of @TotalEnergies<\/a> refinery in Feluy. Around 1000 activists sent a strong message by practicing civil disobedience & blocking the refinery\u2019s infrastructure.

What happened? A\ud83e\uddf5\u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/8O0Lb5pCe4<\/a><\/p>— Malte Gall\u00e9e (@galleerie) October 11, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>