Yahoo Autos Climate Activists Dragged Out of New York Auto Show After Tossing Oil on EV
A group of climate change activists poured quarts of oil on the floor and on at least one electric vehicle at the opening day of the New York International Auto Show on Saturday morning. In an unusual twist, the protesters were speaking out against electric vehicles and really, all cars.
Extinction Rebellion, a U.K.-based activist group, took credit for the disruption today. Wearing t-shirts bearing the words “No EVs on a dead planet,” the protesters interrupted the opening ceremony by tossing oil on the hood of a Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear and all over the stage. Yelling “hit the emergency brake!” one of the protesters was seen carrying a Toyota swag bag, ironically.
The climate activists claim that building EVs is as carbon-intensive, if not more so, than that of gas-powered cars. They believe cars “damage the climate in many ways above and beyond their gas consumption.”
“XR is not protesting car lovers or driving hobbyists. Those forced to drive because of car-dependent infrastructure are being told that they can help solve climate change by switching to an electric vehicle,” the activists say. “The truth is that unchecked car production, no matter the type of propulsion, is pushing us towards extinction.”
Protesters were quickly removed from the area and appear to have been handcuffed and detained. It’s unclear if any arrests were made. The NYPD told Road & Track information on the incident was not yet available. New York Auto Show representatives were not immediately available for comment.
As the EPA issues new regulations and various groups within the industry clap back, like SEMA, it's going to be a wild ride over the next couple of years.
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