NIXON, Nev. (AP) — A tribal ranger's conduct is under review after he pointed a weapon Sunday at environmental activists and plowed his patrol vehicle through their blockade on the road leading to the annual Burning Man counter-culture festival in the Nevada desert.
The incident unfolded on a rural stretch of highway on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe reservation in northwestern Nevada. The protest calling attention to climate change stopped traffic as attendees were headed to the Black Rock Desert north of the reservation for opening day of Burning Man.
A news release from the tribe's chairman, James J. Phoenix, described the incident as a ranger using his patrol vehicle to clear “debris” out of the roadway after climate activists refused to leave.
Videos on social media, however, showed the ranger had slammed his vehicle into the blockade — a metal travel trailer frame that some of the protesters had chained themselves to — then drove back toward the activists while announcing on a bullhorn, “I'm going to take you all out!”
Phoenix declined to answer questions Tuesday from The Associated Press, including which agency is conducting the review into the ranger's conduct and whether the weapon pointed at the activists was a handgun or a Taser.
“Bottom line up front, we are on it,” Phoenix said.
The ranger, whose name has not been released, then exited his vehicle, drew the weapon and yelled for the protesters to get down on the ground, according to videos taken from multiple angles. The ranger approached a woman as she lowered herself to the ground and grabbed her arm, pulling her down and kneeling on her back.
Related video: Chaotic footage shows police breaking up Burning Man climate protest (FOX News) Duration 5:30 View on Watch
Other protesters can be heard in the videos repeatedly announcing they were unarmed and “nonviolent.”
“We have no weapons,” yells Emily Collins, one of the activists who had chained herself to the blockade.
Seven Circles, the coalition that organized the demonstration, called the ranger's actions excessive in a statement released Tuesday.
“The excessive response is a snapshot of the institutional violence and police brutality that is being shown to anyone who is actively working to bring about systemic change within the United States, including the climate movement,” the statement said.
According to the tribe’s chairman, rangers cited five of the demonstrators, who had traveled to Nevada from New York, Washington, California and the European country of Malta. The chairman did not say what they were cited for.
Collins and her partner, Tom Diacono, traveled from Italy to participate in the protest, opting to skip Burning Man this year after attending the festival for many years.
“The planet is burning,” Diacono said. “It's a bit absurd to continue with the festival while the planet is begging for a change.”
Diacono said they parked the travel trailer across the two-lane highway, placing signs around their blockade that included a call for a ban on private jets. Diacono had expected to make some festival attendees angry by causing traffic jams, but the demonstration's outcome took him by complete surprise, he said.
“If you asked me to imagine 100 scenarios," Diacono said, "police ramming us with their truck was not one of them."
Associated Press, The Associated Press
Greg Norman
Mon, August 28, 2023
A video captured the chaotic moments when tribal police in Nevada dispersed at gunpoint a group of climate protesters who were blocking a road and causing a massive traffic jam for those looking to get to the Burning Man festival.
The footage taken Sunday at the beginning of the annual gathering in northern Nevada’s Black Rock Desert shows a law enforcement vehicle smashing into a sign that reads, "Burners of the World Unite," and a trailer that had been set up across the road behind it.
"We are not violent! Please... we have no weapons at all, we are environmental protesters!" a woman is heard yelling as police handcuff one of the demonstrators.
In the buildup to the police response, the same woman appears to have chained herself to the trailer, which members of the public are seen trying to move so traffic can start flowing again.
"People are getting hurt because of climate change. Look at what happened in Maui, look at what is happening right now in Canada," she said as tensions were escalating.
"Get out of the way!" a woman responded.
The video, taken by FreedomNewsTV, begins with people arguing with the demonstrators over the trailer in the road. Leaning up against the trailer are signs that say, "General Strike for Climate" and, "Abolish Capitalism."
"We got to get through, help us, we got s--- to do!" a man in a cowboy hat is heard saying as he starts trying to dismantle the trailer.
"You’re going to hurt someone," a male protester tells him.
"I don’t care... there are people with medical problems here and you are causing them to be in the f------ hot sun," he responds.
As the two sides continue to argue, the male protester then says, "This is a democracy, we have a right to protest! Get the cops! F------ unbelievable," before adding, "This is how we are trying to wake up the community."
A person then asks him, "How are we going to change the world doing this, man?" pointing to the scene in the road.
"Every change in society came from civil disobedience, all of them!" he says.
Police then finally show up with their sirens blaring.
"Get out now! On the ground! All of you on the ground now!" an officer says as he exits his Rangers truck with his weapon drawn.
"Stop resisting!" a voice then yells as police handcuff a woman.
The video footage ends with police picking up the climate protesters’ signs and tossing them on the side of the road while making more arrests.
A timelapse video of the traffic jam showed at least 150 vehicles, including several tour buses, backed up as a result of the protest.
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