FX.co ★ Climate activists target Amazon warehouses in Black Friday protests

On November 26, European climate activists targeted Amazon distribution centers in Black Friday protests, blocking their activity. Extinction Rebellion, the environmental group, was behind the blockage of depots of the world's biggest e-commerce company, Reuters reported. "Black Friday epitomizes an obsession with overconsumption that is not consistent with a liveable planet," the Extinction Rebellion group said.

On Black Friday, climate protestors blocked 13 Amazon warehouses in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. Demonstrators lashed out at the company for activities that emitted more carbon dioxide during production and for supporting fossil fuel companies. In response, a spokesperson for the retail giant said the company was committed to becoming a carbon-neutral firm. Above all else, the retailer faced criticism from trade unions in Europe. They called out Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers to strike against low wages. Protests erupted in Germany, the company’s second-largest market after the United States. About 2,500 Amazon employees went on strike in three cities, according to Germany’s trade union. Demonstrations also took place in France and Italy.

Amazon has been surviving tough times lately. Not so long ago, several employees were caught peddling drugs. In late November 2021, the officials of Amazon India were accused of selling marijuana. The US retail behemoth's online portal was used to smuggle and sell 1 tonne of marijuana worth $148K, Indian police reported. The online retailer expressed its willingness to resolve the case.