Thousands of people across six continents mobilized to protest the destruction of the Amazon rainforest on September 5, 2019. (Photo: Amazon Watch/Twitter)
Sep 06, 2019
Because "getting angry on social media is not enough" to put a stop to the fires and profit-driven policies ravaging the Amazon rainforest, thousands of people across six continents mobilized on Thursday to protest the destruction of the "lungs of the world" at the hands of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and large multinational corporations.
"From Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia to San Francisco and Hong Kong, people across generations, backgrounds, and borders are expressing their outrage over the destructive fires and their solidarity with the determined efforts of indigenous peoples to defend the forest and our collective wellbeing," said Christian Poirier, program director at Amazon Watch, which coordinated the global actions alongside the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and Extinction Rebellion.
The demonstrations, which spanned more than 20 countries, came as thousands of fires continued to devastate the Amazon rainforest. Many of the blazes were deliberately and illegally set by farmers, loggers, and ranchers who, according to critics, have been emboldened by Bolsonaro's aggressive support for deforestation, which was accelerated rapidly during his time in office.
"Thousands of people around the world are mobilizing alongside Brazil's resistance to the Bolsonaro regime," said Poirier.
\u201cFrente a la Corte Constitucional de #ecuador para exigir el respeto de los derechos de los #PueblosInd\u00edgenas y de la #naturaleza.\n#ActForAmazonia #AmazonasEnLlamas #Sept5Act4Amazonia @WaoResistencia @confeniae1 @AmazonWatch\u201d— Chevron T\u00f3xico (@Chevron T\u00f3xico) 1567701261
\u201cNo more indigenous blood, no more fires, no more destruction of the earth. #ExtinctionRebellion #DefendtheAmazon #sept5act4amazonia\u201d— AucklandPeaceAction (@AucklandPeaceAction) 1567641503
\u201c@CONAIE_Ecuador @confeniae1 @WaoResistencia @Sarayaku_Libre @RAN The industrial extraction that many governments of the Amazon region pursue negatively affects indigenous communities across the Amazon Basin, and indigenous communities in Ecuador are marching to demand respect for their rights AND sending support to indigenous people of Brazil.\u201d— Amazon Watch (@Amazon Watch) 1567642582
Demonstrators held a "die-in" outside the London offices of Blackrock, which a recent report described as the "world's largest investor in deforestation."
\u201c#Southwark Rebels outside @blackrock\u2019s offices in #London today highlighting its complicity in the Amazon destruction.\n\n@AmazonWatch \n@ApibOficial \n@ExtinctionR \n\nGlobal Day of Action for the Amazon\n\n#Sept5Act4Amazonia \n#ActForTheAmazon\u201d— XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1567700528
Outside the White House, protesters held signs that condemned U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro, and big business as "Amazon fire-starters."
\u201c@AmazonWatch starts to gather in front of the White House. They accuse Trump, Bolsonaro and big corporations of being \u201cfire starters\u201d #ActForTheAmazon\u201d— \u00c0lex Segura (@\u00c0lex Segura) 1567699815
Sonia Guajajara, executive coordinator at APIB, said to "address the scale of Amazon destruction we are witnessing," people "must get organized, get active, and join forces in defense of the Amazon and in defense of our future."
"We need to stop this absurdity," said Guajajara.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Because "getting angry on social media is not enough" to put a stop to the fires and profit-driven policies ravaging the Amazon rainforest, thousands of people across six continents mobilized on Thursday to protest the destruction of the "lungs of the world" at the hands of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and large multinational corporations.
"From Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia to San Francisco and Hong Kong, people across generations, backgrounds, and borders are expressing their outrage over the destructive fires and their solidarity with the determined efforts of indigenous peoples to defend the forest and our collective wellbeing," said Christian Poirier, program director at Amazon Watch, which coordinated the global actions alongside the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and Extinction Rebellion.
The demonstrations, which spanned more than 20 countries, came as thousands of fires continued to devastate the Amazon rainforest. Many of the blazes were deliberately and illegally set by farmers, loggers, and ranchers who, according to critics, have been emboldened by Bolsonaro's aggressive support for deforestation, which was accelerated rapidly during his time in office.
"Thousands of people around the world are mobilizing alongside Brazil's resistance to the Bolsonaro regime," said Poirier.
\u201cFrente a la Corte Constitucional de #ecuador para exigir el respeto de los derechos de los #PueblosInd\u00edgenas y de la #naturaleza.\n#ActForAmazonia #AmazonasEnLlamas #Sept5Act4Amazonia @WaoResistencia @confeniae1 @AmazonWatch\u201d— Chevron T\u00f3xico (@Chevron T\u00f3xico) 1567701261
\u201cNo more indigenous blood, no more fires, no more destruction of the earth. #ExtinctionRebellion #DefendtheAmazon #sept5act4amazonia\u201d— AucklandPeaceAction (@AucklandPeaceAction) 1567641503
\u201c@CONAIE_Ecuador @confeniae1 @WaoResistencia @Sarayaku_Libre @RAN The industrial extraction that many governments of the Amazon region pursue negatively affects indigenous communities across the Amazon Basin, and indigenous communities in Ecuador are marching to demand respect for their rights AND sending support to indigenous people of Brazil.\u201d— Amazon Watch (@Amazon Watch) 1567642582
Demonstrators held a "die-in" outside the London offices of Blackrock, which a recent report described as the "world's largest investor in deforestation."
\u201c#Southwark Rebels outside @blackrock\u2019s offices in #London today highlighting its complicity in the Amazon destruction.\n\n@AmazonWatch \n@ApibOficial \n@ExtinctionR \n\nGlobal Day of Action for the Amazon\n\n#Sept5Act4Amazonia \n#ActForTheAmazon\u201d— XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1567700528
Outside the White House, protesters held signs that condemned U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro, and big business as "Amazon fire-starters."
\u201c@AmazonWatch starts to gather in front of the White House. They accuse Trump, Bolsonaro and big corporations of being \u201cfire starters\u201d #ActForTheAmazon\u201d— \u00c0lex Segura (@\u00c0lex Segura) 1567699815
Sonia Guajajara, executive coordinator at APIB, said to "address the scale of Amazon destruction we are witnessing," people "must get organized, get active, and join forces in defense of the Amazon and in defense of our future."
"We need to stop this absurdity," said Guajajara.
Because "getting angry on social media is not enough" to put a stop to the fires and profit-driven policies ravaging the Amazon rainforest, thousands of people across six continents mobilized on Thursday to protest the destruction of the "lungs of the world" at the hands of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and large multinational corporations.
"From Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia to San Francisco and Hong Kong, people across generations, backgrounds, and borders are expressing their outrage over the destructive fires and their solidarity with the determined efforts of indigenous peoples to defend the forest and our collective wellbeing," said Christian Poirier, program director at Amazon Watch, which coordinated the global actions alongside the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and Extinction Rebellion.
The demonstrations, which spanned more than 20 countries, came as thousands of fires continued to devastate the Amazon rainforest. Many of the blazes were deliberately and illegally set by farmers, loggers, and ranchers who, according to critics, have been emboldened by Bolsonaro's aggressive support for deforestation, which was accelerated rapidly during his time in office.
"Thousands of people around the world are mobilizing alongside Brazil's resistance to the Bolsonaro regime," said Poirier.
\u201cFrente a la Corte Constitucional de #ecuador para exigir el respeto de los derechos de los #PueblosInd\u00edgenas y de la #naturaleza.\n#ActForAmazonia #AmazonasEnLlamas #Sept5Act4Amazonia @WaoResistencia @confeniae1 @AmazonWatch\u201d— Chevron T\u00f3xico (@Chevron T\u00f3xico) 1567701261
\u201cNo more indigenous blood, no more fires, no more destruction of the earth. #ExtinctionRebellion #DefendtheAmazon #sept5act4amazonia\u201d— AucklandPeaceAction (@AucklandPeaceAction) 1567641503
\u201c@CONAIE_Ecuador @confeniae1 @WaoResistencia @Sarayaku_Libre @RAN The industrial extraction that many governments of the Amazon region pursue negatively affects indigenous communities across the Amazon Basin, and indigenous communities in Ecuador are marching to demand respect for their rights AND sending support to indigenous people of Brazil.\u201d— Amazon Watch (@Amazon Watch) 1567642582
Demonstrators held a "die-in" outside the London offices of Blackrock, which a recent report described as the "world's largest investor in deforestation."
\u201c#Southwark Rebels outside @blackrock\u2019s offices in #London today highlighting its complicity in the Amazon destruction.\n\n@AmazonWatch \n@ApibOficial \n@ExtinctionR \n\nGlobal Day of Action for the Amazon\n\n#Sept5Act4Amazonia \n#ActForTheAmazon\u201d— XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@XR Southwark \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1567700528
Outside the White House, protesters held signs that condemned U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro, and big business as "Amazon fire-starters."
\u201c@AmazonWatch starts to gather in front of the White House. They accuse Trump, Bolsonaro and big corporations of being \u201cfire starters\u201d #ActForTheAmazon\u201d— \u00c0lex Segura (@\u00c0lex Segura) 1567699815
Sonia Guajajara, executive coordinator at APIB, said to "address the scale of Amazon destruction we are witnessing," people "must get organized, get active, and join forces in defense of the Amazon and in defense of our future."
"We need to stop this absurdity," said Guajajara.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.