In a bold display of activism, Abigail Disney, the great-niece of Walt Disney and heiress to the Disney fortune, was arrested on Friday during a climate protest in Long Island.
Joined by other passionate climate activists from organisations like New York Communities for Change, Planet Over Profit, and Sunrise Movement NYC, Disney took a stand against the use of small private jets, highlighting the exclusive vacations of wealthy fossil fuel investors and polluters driving the climate crisis.
According to Fox News, the protest took place at the East Hampton Airport in Wainscott, New York, a popular destination for the affluent elite in the Hamptons.
At 63 I still had not popped my fingerprint/mug shot cherry so I did this. Because the last thing this planet needs is billionaires spewing greenhouse gases to get to their palatial beach homes. Just so wrong. https://t.co/lkGxmXBfwK
— Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) July 14, 2023
Disney and her fellow activists formed a blockade at the airport, which exclusively serves private and charter planes.
Their message was clear - it is time to address the environmental impact of luxury air travel.
As a prominent figure within the Disney family, Abigail Disney acknowledged her personal experience with private jets, stating, "As a person who has been privileged enough to use private jets, I know it's hard to give up a special luxury. But I also know that the time has passed for spewing greenhouse gases like this merely for our comfort."
Disney's arrest comes as no surprise to those familiar with her commitment to climate advocacy. She has repeatedly spoken out about the excessive greenhouse gas emissions resulting from private planes and has actively worked to raise awareness about this issue.
The events of the past week alone, with Earth's average temperature hitting an all-time high, drought and fatal heat waves across the country, floods in Vermont and New York, and ocean temperatures around Florida well over 90 degrees, should remove all doubt once and for all," Disney stated.
"The wealthiest 1% uses as much greenhouse gas as the entire bottom 50%. It is time for real change, and this is the most obvious place to start."
Teddy Ogborn, an organiser of Planet Over Profit who was also arrested at the protest, emphasised the hypocrisy of wealthy individuals who contribute to the climate crisis.
"These same rich people farting into the Hamptons on private jets are often the ones who make their money in industries that hugely accelerate the climate crisis," Ogborn said.
"As long as the 1% continues to needlessly poison our air and heat our earth, we will continue to escalate our actions against them."
This arrest is just the beginning of a series of planned actions by climate activists. Throughout the weekend, they have scheduled additional protests, including a "Tax the Rich for Climate Justice" march on Saturday, a demonstration near the private Sebonack Golf Course in Southampton, New York on Sunday, and a rally outside the home of a Citibank board member with pitchforks.
Abigail Disney's arrest and the determination of these activists serve as a wake-up call to society, urging individuals, particularly the wealthy elite, to reassess their environmental impact and make sustainable choices.
IOL