'Tax the rich': Climate protesters target JPMorgan's NYC office in week of action

Protesters blocked traffic around JPMorgan Chase's New York City offices Friday morning, calling for Gov. Kathy Hochul to use a tax on the wealthy to fund climate measures. 

Tiffany Kary/Photographer: Tiffany Kary/Bloom

Dozens of protesters with a large banner reading "Occupy Park Avenue" and placards targeting the fossil fuel industry and JPMorgan blocked an intersection just across the street from 270 Park Ave., where the bank is building its new headquarters. 

The crowd chanted, "Arrest Jamie Dimon," referring to the bank's chief executive, and at least two protesters were led off in handcuffs by police.

"Tax the rich for a green new deal," said one sign. 

A spokesperson for JPMorgan declined to comment.

The events are part of Occupy Park Avenue, a five-day protest in New York pegged to the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, which led to 43 deaths and caused an estimated $19 billion in damages.

The protests will culminate in a mass march on Saturday. New York Communities for Change, Extinction Rebellion and other groups are organizing the events. 

Activists have been targeting financial companies and officials this week. On Oct. 24, activists interrupted U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's interview on the talk show "The View." On Oct. 26, protesters gathered at BlackRock's Manhattan headquarters. 

JPMorgan has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and said it financed and facilitated $285 billion last year toward its $2.5 trillion, 10-year commitment to fight climate change. 

Still, it has helped arrange about $295 billion of bond sales and loans for fossil-fuel companies since the Paris climate agreement was announced in 2015, more than any other bank, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. 

The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, has called JPMorgan "the world's biggest funder of fossil fuels." 

In September, Dimon said the U.S. needs to invest in the fossil-fuel industry to protect economic growth and help the economy transition to a lower-carbon system in the long term. 

"We aren't getting this one right," Dimon said when asked for his stance on the nation's energy strategy during testimony before Congress Sept. 21. "Investing in the oil and gas complex is good for reducing CO2."

(The Sierra Club has received funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable organization founded by Michael Bloomberg.)