Fordham University’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) attended a protest in Washington D.C. last weekend targeted against the Democratic National Convention (DNC) as they voted in their new chair, Ken Martin. The protest surrounded the Democratic party’s climate policy and was organized by the group Climate Defiance.

“One of our comrades from NYC-DSA, who is also working with Climate Defiance, reached out to us about this opportunity,” said Matthew Smith, FCRH ’27, Co-Chair of Fordham YDSA.

Five students from Fordham attended, three sophomores and two first-years. YDSA is not an official club at Fordham, so Climate Defiance funded the students’ travel and housing.

“The protest was refreshing and empowering. Protests are generally just as effective at building community internally as enacting change externally,” said Jenna Cain, FCRH ’27. “Building connections with other folks dedicated to climate justice policy was really rewarding.”

YDSA engages with campus political activism, including hosting a Plan-B distribution event last semester where they encouraged students to sign their petition against Fordham’s contraception policy.

“We came out to this event because Democrats enthusiastically committed a genocide, bragged in the debate about building Trump’s border wall, dehumanized our brothers and sisters who are immigrants, cozied up with billionaires, and completely abandoned climate action,” said Smith. “Kamala [Harris] and the Democrats were extraordinarily clear in their support for the continuation of new fossil fuels, including fracked gas. We want a real opposition party, not one of civility politics who does nothing to oppose the far right’s rhetoric and rise of fascism.”

The protest took place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, and most of the group’s actions occurred on Jan. 31. More than 40 people took part in the protest.

“On Friday, I joined protestors outside the Gaylord National Resort Convention Center, where the DNC voting took place, and rallied for the party to commit to refusing campaign donations from oil and gas companies,” said Cain.

The group was split into two groups, half outside the convention center and half inside, until they were forced out.

“We held banners while we marched and spoke about the need for the Democratic Party to reject fossil fuel money and value people over profit,” said Kaila Reynolds, FCRH ’27. “When security got too rough with us, we left the building and marched in front of the hotel in the rain, calling for the DNC to choose a chair who would prioritize climate issues and build a strong opposition against Trump.”

On Thursday, during the debate, climate protestors were allowed to ask the candidates if they would accept fossil fuel money after multiple disruptions. None of the candidates said they would.

During the weekend, YDSA members saw multiple instances where protestors were shoved or corralled by officers and one instance where a private security officer working for the hotel attempted to punch a protestor. U.S. Capitol police were present but did not engage.

“Those of us who were inside the actual convention to confront the Democrats directly participated in a march and banner drop. We were thrown around by private security; however, we stayed to disrupt the event until we were forced out,” said Smith.

On the night of the debate, protestors ran in front of the stage and attempted to drop a banner that said “DNC: Reject Fossil Fuels,” but they were removed.

Jason Paul, one of the eight candidates running for DNC chair, said the protestors were turning the event into “scream night at the DNC.”

“The most interesting thing I saw this weekend was how many times the organizers at Climate Defiance were forcibly escorted out of a room by security or police, shoved around, and handcuffed, and how they showed up every day ready to do it again,” said Reynolds. “Watching people of all ages and backgrounds have the bravery to confront politicians and bring attention to their causes throughout the weekend reminded me that there are so many groups who will not give up on fighting for the environment and calling attention to the crisis we face. It also made me more comfortable with the concept of disruption and direct action. Advocating for justice can often be discouraging, but raising your voice to disrupt business as usual is empowering.”

Climate Defiance is a youth-led group that focuses on direct action and is known to use the “blockade” strategy to disrupt events. None of the protestors were arrested.

“We’re not going to stop disrupting the democrats until they run an actual candidate who promises change, not the same neoliberal politics,” said Smith. “Liberalism doesn’t beat fascism. Socialism does.”