Things got physical when a group of climate protesters clashed with other event-goers at a gala hosted by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) on Thursday. Several activists were pushed off stage and fell on top of one another while resisting attempts by the event attendees to remove them.
Murkowski was giving a speech at the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s awards ceremony when she was suddenly interrupted by about 10-12 climate protesters, who rushed the stage and took over, according to a source who attended the event.
Climate Defiance, the protest organizer, posted a video of the scuffle on social media.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We just shut down a gala honoring U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski,” the post reads. “As Chevron’s top lobbyist gave her an award, we stepped in and stopped the ceremony. Respect us or expect us.”
Murkowski was nowhere to be seen in the video, but several men in suits who were attending the event could be seen grappling with a few protesters, one of whom was holding up a banner. While the guests attempted to remove the activists, the protester was pushed backwards over a table by the crush of people before they were all sent tumbling to the floor in a pile.
The climate protesters were swiftly removed from the event and Murkowski finished giving her speech, a source who witnessed the event confirmed.
Murkowski received the foundation’s Bryce Harlow award, which is meant to honor an elected official “whose career is built on championing the principles of integrity, dedication and professionalism,” according to the foundation’s website. Past recipients of the award include prominent figures from both parties, such as Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
In their post about the protest, Climate Defiance accused Murkowski of pretending to care about climate change while allegedly fueling the climate crisis.
“Murkowski brands herself as a moderate but in truth she is an ecocidal pyromaniac. She fought tooth and nail to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to big oil. Is nothing sacred?” it fumed.
Earlier that day, Murkowski had tweeted her support of a National Science Foundation grant to the University of Alaska for a five-year climate study.
