Climate Activists Stage Protest, Irate Party Leaders in Tumultuous Meeting

Environmental groups disrupted a recent Democratic National Committee (DNC) leadership meeting, breaking with the party’s attempt to regain its footing after a defeat in the 2024 presidential election. The meeting was intended to showcase potential new faces for the party, but it was interrupted by protesters from the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led, left-wing climate action organization. The protesters demanded the DNC establish a working election strategy after the 2024 loss and called for an end to fossil fuel money in Democratic politics. Some protesters also demanded the return of the party’s ban on corporate PAC and lobbyist donations. About a dozen protesters were removed from the event, which grew frustrating for Democratic candidates and moderates. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, one of the eight candidates vying for DNC chair, expressed sympathy for the protesters’ passion about the planet’s future. The DNC chair election will be held on Saturday, with eight candidates running for the position.