Left-wing activists affiliated with New York Communities For Change (NYCFC) launched disruptive protests over the weekend in several beach towns as part of the organization’s “#OccupyTheHamptons” demonstrations.
NYCFC protested on behalf of “climate action & green, social housing for all,” according to its Twitter page. Activists criticized wealthy Hamptonites as “directly responsible for the results of climate change” while sporting banners calling for governments to “tax the rich,” footage posted to Twitter shows.
First, protesters blocked off Southampton’s Main Street on Friday afternoon, when many weekenders travel to the Hamptons.
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters block off Southampton’s Main Street to demand taxing the rich to pay for climate action and #GreenSocialHousingForAll. It’s a showdown between the people vs. the ultra-rich, who produce so much of the emissions killing us all. #OccupyTheHamptons #PayUp pic.twitter.com/kPdb1rvc9C
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 8, 2022
To the billionaires of the Hamptons, Becca says, “You are hiding here from the world that you are killing!” These people should be paying to fix the rising emissions and rising inequality that they create. You break it, you pay for it! #OccupyTheHamptons #PayUp pic.twitter.com/9Hr64UIqko
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 8, 2022
Protesters eventually paraded through a swanky private beach Saturday. Many of the activists in the Saturday procession sported orange shirts and carried pitchforks with them, video shared to Twitter shows. The activists questioned beach-goers while marching with signs that read “billionaires are killing us” and “inequality kills.” (RELATED: Traffic Jams, Mass Arrests, Piles Of Litter: Five Days Of Climate Change Protests Rock London)
What happens when you storm a private beach in the Hamptons with 200 black and brown New Yorkers demanding higher taxes on billionaires? #OccupytheHamptons #PayUp pic.twitter.com/pjBlpXoSgp
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 9, 2022
What do the rich Hamptons residents think of our protest to demand higher taxes on billionaires?
We decided to ask them.
Too bad they didn’t get the memo that the richest 25 Americans paid a true tax rate of 3.4% per year as their wealth skyrocketed. #OccupytheHamptons pic.twitter.com/csmZRMcU2E
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 9, 2022
For their Sunday demonstrations, protesters once again returned to block the streets of Southampton and East Hampton.
Class war in the Hamptons #OccupyTheHamptons #PayUp pic.twitter.com/k7WBtURhLu
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 10, 2022
Traffic at a complete standstill in East Hampton. It’s time to tax the rich— and since we won’t rest until we get it done, the billionaires in the Hamptons shouldn’t rest either. #OccupytheHamptons #PayUp pic.twitter.com/74TvVULIDq
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 10, 2022
Additionally, separate groups of activists marched on “billionaire’s row,” a section of the Long Island beach community that is home to some of the wealthiest individuals in the United States.
“Tax the Rich… Make them Pay!”
Marching on billionaires row in the Hamptons for action on climate & housing pic.twitter.com/bk1Tw6KY7w
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 9, 2022
After a full weekend of protesting, the NYCFC activists still had one more demonstration. A group of protesters arrived at the East Hampton Airport to shut it down as wealthy weekenders arrived for their flights from the island, the NYCFC stated on Twitter. (RELATED: Climate Protester Zip-Ties His Neck On Field During High-Profile Sporting Event)
The group erected a wooden structure in the airport’s main entrance and placed one of its activists on top of it. They also blocked the entrance with seated protesters so that cars could not circumvent the structure, NYCFC Twitter footage appeared to show. Others participated in “tax the rich” chants and held signs, one of which read “the 1% is stealing everyone’s future,” other footage posted to the NYCFC account shows.
BREAKING: Sorry Hamptonites, no private jets or helicopters leaving today!
Activists block entrance to East Hampton airport, where the ultra wealthy take their exclusive flights, jets and helicopters for a day at the beach. #TaxtheRich #PayUp pic.twitter.com/13EvFCaC10— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 11, 2022
Becky is upset because she can’t get to her jet on time #sorrynotsorry #TaxtheRich #PayUp #OccupyTheHamptons pic.twitter.com/Jzj3NvCcv9
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 11, 2022
Chad is getting triggered that he can’t get on his helicopter in East Hampton today. #TaxTheRich #PayUp #OccupyTheHamptons pic.twitter.com/eIZzUOKdQs
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 11, 2022
Authorities arrested five of the activists at the airport, the NYCFC stated through its Twitter.
Five arrests made so far at the East Hampton airport, but the blockade continues. #OccupyTheHamptons #PayUp #TaxTheRich pic.twitter.com/7vk5TLunHX
— New York Communities for Change (@nychange) July 11, 2022
The mission of the NYCFC is to “fight against economic oppression by building campaigns from the ground up that challenge capital and oppressive economic systems” and to “resist fascist and racist policies,” its website says.
NYCFC stated in a tweet that authorities arrested 16 of its activists during the four days of protest.
New York state currently maintains one of the highest marginal income tax rates for high-income taxpayers in the United States, according to TaxRates.Org.
NYCFC did not respond to the Daily Caller’s requests for comment regarding the goals of their Hamptons protest and whether they intend to organize similar protests in the future.