Fed Chair Powell escorted out of room as climate protesters interrupt start of speech

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was briefly escorted out of a room in New York after climate protesters interrupted the start of a speech he was slated to deliver on the U.S. economy. 

The protesters – who appeared to be from a group called Climate Defiance – were removed by security.

The group’s mission calls for “consistent, mass-turnout, nonviolent disruption to stop business as usual and compel politicians to act” in order to end fossil fuel extractions on federal lands and waters.

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Members of a climate activist group disrupt a meeting of the Economic Club of New York just prior to a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in New York City, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid / Reuters Photos)

They were chanting “end fossil fuel finance” and carrying signs that accused the Federal Reserve of “burning money, futures, planet.” 

The group also interrupted an event attended by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg last week demanding that he stop fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

Powell resumed the speech several minutes after he was led out of a room at the Economic Club of New York. 

Members of Climate Activist disrupt a meeting of the Economic Club of New York just prior to a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in New York City on Oct. 19, 2023. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

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His remarks were focused on inflation, monetary policy and the broader U.S. economy. 

He did not comment on the protesters.