It was quite the scene on Friday, October 11, as actress Jane Fonda was arrested outside the U.S. Capitol building during a climate change protest in Washington, D.C. The 81-year-old two-time Oscar winner was making a bold statement, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action. "This is a collective crisis that demands collective action — now," she declared before her arrest.
"Change is coming by design or by disaster," Jane explained in a press release prior to the event. "A Green New Deal that transitions off fossil fuels provides the design. They say it’s not realistic, that it’s Socialism. That’s what they said about Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, and we got Social Security and a middle class." Her words were a clear call to action, urging people to think beyond the status quo and embrace meaningful change.
.@Janefonda is the THIRD arrest here at the US Capitol… The moment it happened…@WUSA9 #ClimateChange #FireDrillFriday #breaking pic.twitter.com/wWoZggYloN
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Jane's Commitment to the Cause
The star of Grace and Frankie has relocated to D.C. for the foreseeable future to spearhead a series of weekly strikes. This means that her recent arrest is likely just the beginning of a more extensive commitment to the cause. She plans to continue these efforts until her work on the show's final season calls her away. Jane explained her intentions in an email to The Washington Post: "I’m going to take my body, which is kind of famous and popular right now because of the [television] series and I’m going to go to D.C. and I’m going to have a rally every Friday. It’ll be called 'Fire Drill Friday.' And we’re going to engage in civil disobedience and we’re going to get arrested every Friday."
Inspired by Greta Thunberg
Jane's initiative was inspired by Greta Thunberg, the renowned 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist. Jane noted, "Greta said we have to behave like it’s a crisis. We have to behave like our houses are on fire." Her words underscore the urgency she feels about addressing climate change and the need for immediate action. Greta’s influence has clearly resonated with Jane, motivating her to take bold steps.
This is a collective crisis. #firedrillfriday @Janefonda #ClimateEmergency pic.twitter.com/2Ck9Sovzsn
— Fire Drill Fridays (@FireDrillFriday) October 11, 2019
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Jane's Political Past
This isn’t Jane's first foray into politics. Throughout her life, she has been a vocal advocate for various causes, including speaking out against the Vietnam War, supporting women’s rights, and being an ally to people of color and the LGBTQ community. In 1970, she was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on suspicion of drug trafficking, and in 2009, she claimed that the Nixon White House had specifically targeted her. Despite these challenges, all charges were eventually dropped, leaving behind one of the most iconic mugshots in history—a black-and-white photo of the then 32-year-old raising a fist.
Future Demonstrations
Jane has also invited a group of notable figures to join her in future demonstrations, including actors Ted Danson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Catherine Keener, playwright Eve Ensler, known for The Vagina Monologues, and Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s. These collaborations aim to amplify the message of urgency and collective responsibility in addressing climate change.
