Citi bank is getting violent. They’re not alone.

Early this morning, activists with the Summer of Heat campaign went back to Citi’s global headquarters, as we have more than a dozen times since June 10th to protest the fact that they’re the world’s largest funder of new fossil fuel projects since 2015, when the Paris climate agreement was signed.

This time, a couple friends dressed up in suits and nice clothes, and actually ‘snuck’ (really they just walked in the door and security assumed they worked there) into the lobby. Citi Security responded by punching one of the activists in the face and battering them to the ground, right in front of a NYPD officer who was already arresting other peaceful protesters. Our friend is ok, and was treated on the scene by medics before being taken to the hospital.

Join our call tonight — Wednesday, August 14th at 7PM ET — to learn more about what’s next for the Summer of Heat.

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Citi has been escalating against Summer of Heat protests for a few weeks, with employees threatening violence and death, as well as using trumped up charges to try and get organizers and leaders jailed or banned for years. The first thing you can do to help keep everyone safe is to share the photos and videos so that everyone is clear that we’re non-violent protestors, and Citi and their employees (as well as the NYPD officers who do their bidding) are the ones threatening and using violence.

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The next thing to do is take a breath, take stock, and think about what’s next. Violent, legal oppression of climate protest has been on the rise globally. And Citi’s actions today, while morally reprehensible, aren’t unexpected or even out of character. This is the same bunch of goons who just ordered a 63 year old grandfather to be arrested and held overnight for playing Bach on the cello. Globally climate activists, water protectors, and land defenders have been jailed, beaten, and even murdered for opposing fossil fuel projects.

But the only thing more dangerous than standing up to fossil fuels might be to stop fighting. A front page New York Times story just detailed 7 global tipping points that could lead to climate collapse. We met with Citi weeks ago, and they flat out refused our demands to stop financing new fossil fuel projects — even the worst of the worst like the CP2 LNG export terminal or Chevron’s gas fields off the coast of occupied Palestine that are fueling war and genocide.

So we have to keep coming back, for even more Summer of heat protests, day after day, week after week. But we also need to do it smart, keep each other safe, and renew our commitment to non-violence and peaceful (but forceful) protest. Join the call tonight at 7PM ET to hear more about what’s next for the Summer of Heat.