A group of climate activists swarmed West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin at a diner in Derry, New Hampshire, where he spoke on Tuesday.
The protesters followed him to his SUV and proceeded to block it while chanting slogans like "ecocide is genocide."
The group confronting him, Climate Defiance, claims to be a "youth-led group using direct action to resist fossil fuels."
"Big update," Climate Defiance wrote in a post on X, along with a video of the confrontation. "Big, big update. We just found Joe Manchin yet again, in a diner. We swarmed it. We took it over. We seized control. We shut him down so hard he had to flee through the kitchen. We will not walk like sheep to slaughter. We will not stand down. Respect us or expect us." Big update. Big, big update. We just found Joe Manchin yet again, in a diner. We swarmed it. We took it over. We seized control. We shut him down so hard he had to flee through the kitchen. We will not walk like sheep to slaughter. We will not stand down. Respect us or expect us. pic.twitter.com/20a9xMzXnG
— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) January 16, 2024
"The single-largest recipient of oil and gas money, Manchin blowtorches our planet and gloats," the group added. "He chairs the Senate Energy Committee, and uses this role to protect his personal coal company. He earns more income from this coal company than he does from his senate salary. It shows." Manchin single-handedly forced approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. This monstrosity would transport 2,000,000,000 cubic feet of fracked gas every single day. It would have the climate impact of two dozen new coal plants. No words.
— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) January 16, 2024
The group continued, "Manchin single-handedly forced approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. This monstrosity would transport 2,000,000,000 cubic feet of fracked gas every single day. It would have the climate impact of two dozen new coal plants. No words.""We are explicitly and unapologetically committed to making life MISERABLE for every person in power who stands between us and the solutions we so desperately need."
Manchin fled the diner through the kitchen, but at least one of the demonstrators jumped in front of his vehicle.
Fox News reports that the group recently met with the White House.The protests also come shortly after the group was granted a White House meeting last month. Climate Defiance leaders met privately with senior White House adviser John Podesta on Dec. 15. Following the meeting, the group publicized a letter it handed Podesta in which they thanked him and reiterated that global warming is the "greatest threat that humanity has ever faced."
Manchin has long been a villain to the far left due to his centrist positions. He recently became the target of accusations he intends to run as a spoiler for refusing to rule out running as a third-party candidate under the political organization called "No Labels."
The organization has said they plan to announce whether or not they will run a ticket by Super Tuesday.
