Climate activists disrupt New York Auto Show, pour oil on electric vehicles to protest climate change

Climate activists were arrested at the New York Auto Show on Saturday after splashing oil on a Ford truck to protest electric vehicles not doing enough to solve climate change.

In a dramatic display captured on video and posted on X by Oliya Scootercaster, protestors were seen splashing oil on a Ford truck before being swiftly removed by security. One protestor attempted to convey their message through a microphone, proclaiming, "Lots of people are going to die. We need to hit the emergency brakes," before being silenced and apprehended by security personnel.

The demonstration was orchestrated by Extinction Rebellion NYC, a climate activist group from New York. The group sought to emphasize their belief that relying solely on EVs is not enough to combat climate change. This message was featured on one of the protestors’ t-shirts, which read, "There are no electric vehicles on a dead planet!"

“We just disrupted the NY Auto show to make it clear that electric vehicles alone won’t save us. There are no electric vehicles on a dead planet!” the group stated on X, reposting the video of their protest.

Following the incident, Extinction Rebellion NYC issued an official press release denouncing the promotion of EVs. They argued that the production of EVs is still carbon-intensive, and the vehicles fail to address the root causes of environmental degradation associated with conventional fossil-fuel-powered cars.

“Electric vehicles do not solve the fundamental problems with cars. The construction of electric vehicles is as carbon-intensive, if not more so, than that of conventional cars powered by fossil fuels.” the press release read.

The group’s press release also criticized President Biden's endorsement of EVs, contending that such initiatives overlook the broader issues inherent in car culture and industrial practices. Instead, Extinction Rebellion NYC is advocating for systemic changes beyond EV adoption.

“President Biden is promoting and stimulating investment in electric cars, presenting them as a solution to climate catastrophe. This ignores the fact that electric vehicles bring a host of new problems, and do not address the vast majority of problems arising from the use of fossil-fuel-powered cars,” the press release continued. 

Despite once being applauded as a promising alternative to traditional gas-powered vehicles for mitigating carbon emissions, EVs now appear insufficient in the eyes of climate activists who argue that climate change demands more decisive action.