Climate activists stage Black Friday protests at Amazon warehouses in Europe

Climate activists protested at Amazon warehouses across Europe on Friday to pressure the company to end workplace practices that are harmful to the environment, among other concerns. 

Members of Extinction Rebellion blockaded 13 Amazon fulfillment centers in the United Kingdom and held similar protests in Germany and the Netherlands with the goal of disrupting half of the company’s Black Friday deliveries, according to The Associated Press. 

“The action is intended to draw attention to Amazon’s exploitative and environmentally destructive business practices, disregard for workers’ rights in the name of company profits, as well as the wastefulness of Black Friday,” Extinction Rebellion said, per the AP.

At least 30 people were arrested at several of the Amazon locations in the U.K. on suspicion of aggravated trespassing or public nuisance, the AP reported. 

Other activists staged a smaller protest at Amazon’s Staten Island fulfillment center in New York, the AP added.

Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said the company supports the right to peaceful protests, in a statement provided to The Hill. 

“Today, a small number of self-interested groups held a handful of protests to advance their own agendas,” she said.

“These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we are not perfect in any area, if you objectively look at what Amazon is doing in each one of these areas you’ll see that we do take our role and our impact very seriously,” she added.

Nantel also noted that Amazon was “playing a significant role in addressing climate change with the Climate Pledge commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040, continuing to offer competitive wages and great benefits, and inventing new ways to keep our employees safe and healthy in our operations network.”

The Hill has reached out to Extinction Rebellion for comment. 

Updated at 7:37 p.m.