Protectors of the Salish Sea Demand Gov Inslee to Declare a Climate Emergency
5th October 2019 – Several thousand people are expected to turn up in front of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to urge Governor Jay Inslee to meet us at high noon to declare a Climate Emergency in the State.
The event on the 5th is hosted by the Protectors of the Salish Sea, an indigenous environmental advocacy group, and is assisted by Native Daily Network and a plethora of Washington State environment advocates. Together we will be waiting for Governor Jay Inslee to join us as the keynote speaker.
The Protectors of the Salish Sea have been in occupation of the traditional Sta,chas village site which is now known as the Washington State Capitol since Tuesday 24th September, after walking 46 miles from the Tacoma Liquefied Natural Gas construction Site. The walk started on Friday 20th September as part of the Global Climate Strike. As Governor Inslee was talking to climate activists in New York, over 70 of his riot police forcibly removed peaceful and prayerful indigenous climate protectors and their allies. (see video at the bottom of the press release.)
Despite this, the Protectors of the Salish Sea have vowed to remain in occupation indefinitely until a Climate Emergency is declared in the State of Washington and all fossil fuel expansion projects are halted.
THE PROTECTORS OF THE SALISH SEA INVITE ALL TO SHOW UP TO THEIR DAILY JAM SESSIONS IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL FROM 12:00 PM TO 1:00 DAILY AND EVERY EVENING ON THE STEPS BETWEEN 6:00 PM AND 8:00 PM.
The details of this event are in an online invitation, stating:
Governor Inslee,
We will be waiting to meet you on Saturday, October the 5th on the steps of the Washington State Capitol at 12 PM.
You are invited to yehow – to come together and only together – with everyone who believes that we are in a climate emergency.
Your words on our climate are good and truthful but now is the time to come together to put meaningful action behind those words.
Come stand with us and declare a climate emergency in the State of Washington.
Be bold! Issue an executive order to halt all fossil fuel projects in the state. Including the LNG facility in Tacoma, Methanol refinery in Kalama, Par Pacific Tar Sands Expansion Project, Puget Sound Pipeline Tar Sands Expansion and the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project.
Commit to Convening a special session on climate change in the 2020 legislative session. Ensure that this session includes voices from youth, indigenous leaders and other communities in Washington who are disproportionately affected by climate change.
We look forward to changing the course of history together so our children have a future. Nothing is more important than this. Any other commitment can be dropped or rearranged.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1056792681195235/
– The Protectors of the Salish Sea.
“The climate crisis is right here, right now, in our own backyard. Make no mistake: Here in Washington state, we will continue to lead the way in finding solutions and defeating climate change.” – Governor Jay Inslee, September 25th, 2019
#willjayshow #climateemergencyjayinslee #standforthechildren
Notes:- This is an indigenous-led event and we ask that anyone coming to celebrate history with us respects the traditions and protocols of the original peoples of this land.
Protectors of the Salish Sea are led by Paul Chiyokten Wagner and Chelalakem.
Some footage from the police action on protectors on Tuesday the 24th September:
https://www.facebook.com/NativeDailyNetwork/videos/758881954567794/