Environmental Activists Target JP Morgan Chase Over Fossil Fuel Investments

A group of environmental activists staged a “die-in” in the foyer of the downtown Chase bank in Boulder on Wednesday morning as part of a national day of action targeting JP Morgan Chase for its continued investment in and funding of fossil fuel projects.

Activists blocked the entrance to the bank with signs saying “Chase closed due to climate disaster.” A group of 10 other activists staged a die-in in the foyer of the bank, having been denied access to the bank itself, lying on the ground for 11 minutes, signifying that we are at the 11th hour in terms of the climate crisis and the 11 years that climate scientists say is the time frame where we must reduce fossil fuel usage drastically if we are to avert climate catastrophe.

Micah Parkin of 350 Colorado read a letter to the Chase local branch manager saying that “JPMorgan Chase must take responsibility for being the top financier of climate disaster that is destroying lives and entire communities, contributing to ocean acidification and a global species extinction crisis, and has already cost our nation an estimated $350 billion over the last decade in disaster relief.”

Neshama Abraham, a customer of Chase Bank in Boulder and co-founder of the Athena Gold Holdings Group, a $200,000 investment fund that supports sustainable activities like regenerative farming, local food production, and entrepreneurial technology solutions, read out a statement saying she was divesting the $200,000 fund from Chase because of their support of the fossil fuel industry.

Today’s action was part of a national movement with more than 22 other actions taking place at Chase banks around the country.

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