By Rachel Sawicki

WILMINGTON — Occupy Biden, a group of climate action activists, gathered near the president’s Wilmington home for the second time this year to demand he declare a climate emergency.

Its first stint was New Year’s Day, following a weeklong campout in snow and freezing temperatures, just a mile down the road from the Biden residence. Last weekend, organizers braved strong winds at 909 Centre Road and prepared themselves for another march on Presidents Day.

The leader of Extinction Rebellion Delaware, one of the groups represented at the event, said that, since Presidents Day is a holiday, it was convenient for protesters who wanted to participate. But Karen Igou added that it also serves as a reminder to President Biden to live up to his promises and fulfill his duties.

“True leadership of a president on this Presidents Day. We want his campaign promises to be kept, and we want to have a future for later generations, and that’s what we want him to be thinking about, not just getting elected again,” Ms. Igou said Monday.

A letter read by Ms. Igou detailed Occupy Biden’s list of demands, which haven’t changed since the new year: to declare a climate emergency and to pledge a discontinuation of fossil fuels.

Several climate leaders spoke before the group of at least 60 assembled to march. Chris Velazquez, with Veterans for Peace, said that, as they stand together as “accomplices in rebellion,” he believes activists can change the world and pass it on to future generations in better condition.

“We demand that the fossil fuel industry’s interest be denied,” he said. “We demand that the acceleration of the politics of our government be ended and (for) an immediate de-escalation of the culture of war, (which) brings us closer to nuclear catastrophe in Ukraine with Russia. We demand a decolonization of our land and self-sovereignty, restoring food and energy and mobility, and self-determination for all life.

“We demand that not another generation live under the weight of war, injustices and threat of global extinction.”

President Biden did not come to Wilmington over the weekend, so protesters ventured farther down Barley Mill Road than they were able New Year’s Day, when they were stopped by Secret Service agents. On Monday, New Castle County police arrived to keep the marchers on one side of the road.

One by one, each activist gave a short statement about what climate action means to them and why they were giving their time to the cause.

Eric Moss from Extinction Rebellion Philadelphia said the climate crisis is worse than most people realize.

“We have to do things like (Occupy Biden) to get them to understand it,” he said. “We’re gonna start by getting people on the streets to understand it, but ultimately, we have to get people inside the corridors of power, inside governments, inside corporations, inside finance industries. So Delaware is where a lot of that comes together.”

Donna Shaunesey, a member of Third Act, a climate group for people 60 and older whose goal is to inspire younger generations, camped out Sunday night to show her dedication to the “occupy” part of Occupy Biden.

“He’s our president, and he is not doing what he promised he would do to stop fossil fuels,” she said. “There’s so many things he could be doing. So we really want to drive the point home that this is important, and we’re not going away. We’re going to be here as long as there’s the climate crisis, which is, of course, forever.”

New Jersey high schoolers Jae Hoff, Elliot Franklin and Rey Watson made the drive to Wilmington to show support.

Rey said they have been a climate activist for many years now and started by hosting a Fridays for Future youth climate strike.

“I’m only 17, so a lot of the time, I see a lot of older people showing up at marches, and it’s great that they are supporting us, but it doesn’t really amplify the actual people who are going to be impacted by this,” Rey said.

Jae said President Biden can’t wait any longer to take bold action.

“Otherwise, we’re all going to be living on a dead planet in a few generations,” they said.

Elliot added that “guns and money are not going to save you when there is no water to drink.”

A dad himself, Mr. Moss agreed.

“We have Presidents Day to acknowledge presidents who’ve been bold and have been great at pivotal moments in history,” he said. “This is (President Biden’s) opportunity. It’s up to him to decide to take it.”