Last Wednesday, a group of climate zealots made good on their promise to attack the annual Congressional Baseball Game between Democrats and Republicans. Although the protesters from the group Climate Defiance did succeed in momentarily stopping play on the field, their message to end the use of fossil fuels was largely drowned out by chants of “U.S.A.” from the approximately 30,000 fans in attendance at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
The group had been announcing their intention to disrupt the annual charity baseball game since at least April, so Capitol Police were more than ready when members of the group attempted to storm the field before the second inning wearing shirts that proclaimed “End Fossil Fuels” and carrying signs that said “Stop playing games with our future.”
Climate Defiance, which declares that “the laws of nature do not care what’s ‘realistically feasible.’ And neither do we,” bragged about their arrests on X.
“We have taken the field at the Congressional Baseball Game + play has FROZEN! Congress sends billions of public $$ to subsidize deadly fossil fuels — but the police are tackling us instead,” the climate zealot group crowed. “This Chevron-sponsored game cannot continue. This is unconscionable.”
But the game stoppage didn’t last for long.
“UPDATE: Eight of us have been arrested for shutting down the Congressional Baseball Game,” the group posted. “They are behind bars right now. Make no mistake: It’s the Members of Congress who should be locked up.”
The group claimed they were “brutalized” for their act of civil disobedience.
“We were brutalized this week, tackled and pummeled and hauled off in handcuffs. We were held overnight in roach-filled cages,” the group posted on X. “But our hearts will never be deterred, our flame never extinguished. We will rise. We will wage nonviolence. We will prevail. Our moment has arrived.”
Capitol Police had a far different version of events.
“We are proud of our officers who are working to keep everyone safe during tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game for Charity,” the they posted on X. “Before the charity game, we were aware that some people planned to possibly protest. This was discussed during our planning meetings and put in our comprehensive action plan to ensure we had plenty of resources to swiftly respond.”
“When eight people tried to protest on the field, our officers quickly stopped them and arrested them. The eight people are being charged with federal charges – Interference with a Member of the U.S. Capitol Police,” Capitol Police confirmed.
The climate zealots were not the only protesters present at the game, which was won by the team representing the GOP, who waxed the Democrats 31-11. Also in the stands was a group of pro-Palestinian protesters who were upset about the U.S. government’s support of Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The pro-Palestine group fired up during the presentation of the U.S. colors and persisted into the singing of the National Anthem. They, too, were drowned out by chants of “U.S.A.” from the crowd.
ABC News quoted one pro-Palestinian protester as saying, “We’re here to shame Congress for participating and sponsoring and funding a genocide.”
The Congressional Baseball Game has been played since 1909. Previously, the most controversial event surrounding the game occurred in 2017 at a practice for the GOP team when then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Capitol Police Officer Crystal Griner were shot. This year Scalise played and batted lead-off for the victorious GOP team.
Despite Climate Defiance’s claim of “brutalization,” given the events of 2017 it’s difficult to imagine that Capitol Police would simply allow non-participants on the field. But sanity, it appears, is generally not a virtue of climate fanatics. The only shame that this group brought to anyone was upon themselves.
