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‘Drop Adani’: activists take on genocide-enabling fossil fuel firm at Science Museum

Activists have taken on a genocide and climate change-linked arms and fossil fuel firm on London. Adani Group, who are based in India, have perversely been allowed to sponsor the ‘green gallery’ at the Science Museum. Hundreds of teachers have threatened a boycott.

Opponents of the green-washing project projected the words ‘Drop Adani’ onto the museums and demonstrated outside. They also put up posters which read “Our energy revolution fuels genocide” and “Our energy revolution runs on firepower”.

The campaign describes Adani as “the world’s second largest developer of coal power”.

Adani directly fuelling genocide

The educational and cultural boycott has been taken up by Parents for Palestine, Education Climate Coalition, Culture Unstained and others.

In a press release, a spokesperson for Parents for Palestine explained:

There’s no question that Adani is directly fuelling – and profiting from – repression, violence and genocide. The posters were quickly removed, making it only too clear that the museum doesn’t want people to know the truth about Adani.

Just last month, the museum agreed to host a private cocktail reception for Adani and its corporate clients in the ‘Energy Revolution’ gallery it sponsors, when instead, it should be holding them accountable for their crimes by denouncing and disengaging from Adani.

Blood money and arms firm

Adani has a deep relationship with Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems. This has been been criticised by human rights organisations:

Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, located in Hyderabad is a joint venture between Adani Defence and Aerospace and Elbit Systems, Israel to manufacture advanced drone systems

And, Adani has maintained its support throughout Israel’s genocide:

Even as Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza continues, Adani Elbit has recently supplied 20 Hermes 900 drones to the Israel military. While several countries have withdrawn support to Israel in the face of its inhuman carnage of Palestinians, Adani continues to profit from it, lining its pocket with blood money.

The campaign aims to put pressure on the museum to divest from unethical firms. Energy Embargo for Palestine previously carried out an action at the so-called ‘pink ball’ for corporate donors:

Their spokesperson said:

The Science Museum must immediately drop Adani as a sponsor. At Energy Embargo for Palestine, we have a campaign against the British Museum for its £50m sponsorship deal with BP.

These companies are complicit in the genocide of Palestinians, and in climate collapse, and they rely on these partnerships to whitewash their image. We will continue opposing these deals until they are permanently dropped.

And a spokesperson for Climate Resistance said

Gautam Adani is a billionaire coal baron who has made his obscene fortune supplying arms for genocide and fueling climate collapse. That the Science Museum is taking this filthy cash is beyond shameful.

We have to end his climate wrecking empire, tax him and his billionaire mates out of existence, and use their obscene wealth to fund climate action.

Adani also operate Haifa port, where a lot of Israeli weaponry arrives. Needless to say that equipment gets used against Palestinians.

Featured image via Parents for Palestine

By Joe Glenton

This post was originally published on Canary.