The VVD and JA21 in the House of Representatives want clarification about a meeting in Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam. The meeting on climate activism focuses on whether violence should be ‘reconsidered’.
On the site of the debate center is an announcement of the meeting under the title ‘Moral deliberation on the climate’. “Is peaceful protest enough, or should the use of force, either against objects or against people, be reconsidered?”
“Are we prepared to end up in prison for three to fifteen years?”
The organization of the meeting, political platform Progressive Cafe, also asks ‘what price’ are people willing to pay on ‘on a personal level for our commitment to climate justice?’. “Are we prepared to end up in prison for three to fifteen years as a result of climate activism?”
The texts lead to indignant reactions. “Totally bizarre that the climate movement is considering using violence! The end does not justify the means,” writes VVD MP Ingrid Michon. Annabel Nanningachairman of JA21 in the city council: “It’s terrifying that the extreme left is going to talk seriously about using violence.”
“I have informed the organization that now that this is the approach, I will not be present”
Do the meeting almost exclusively climate activists along. MP Suzanne Kröger (GroenLinks) would also come, but she waives it. “I have informed the organization that now that this is the approach, I will not be present,” she writes on Twitter.
Progressive Café leaves in response to the criticism via Twitter know that it concerns a ‘moral deliberation’ about ‘for example the question of whether violence against fossil infrastructure is justified or not at all’. According to the organization, ‘fossil capitalists commit unrestrained violence against nature and vulnerable groups’.
The meeting will take place on March 7.