A truck driver was caught up in a climate protest in New York City on Monday that ended in dozens of arrests.
The incident began shortly before 9 a.m. on Monday on both West Side Highway at 34th Street and FDR Drive as members of groups including the Sunrise Movement, the Extinction Rebellion and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice blocked lanes of traffic and held signs.
The groups say that the demonstration was meant to pressure President Biden to keep climate protection measures in the Build Back Better plan.
Dear commuters: we are interrupting traffic this morning not to annoy you, but to force the public to confront the true dangers of unchecked climate change. If we do not act today, if @potus does not act today, NYC will be underwater by 2100. It’s a matter of life and death. pic.twitter.com/2gTTal0zgA
— Extinction Rebellion NYC 🌎 (@XR_NYC) October 25, 2021
In video captured at the scene, you can see climate activists both blocking in a box truck driver attempting to pass through the scene and also climbing up on the driver’s side of the truck.
One of the protesters can be heard asking the box truck driver, “What kind of an a$#hole are you?” before banging his fist on the window.
NBC’s New York affiliate reported that 45 protesters were arrested on Monday as a result of the demonstration.
In recent years, a number of truck drivers have become caught up in roadway protests that have resulted in charges against the truck driver (that were later dropped), and even the deaths of two protesters in St. Louis and Ontario.