Jane Fonda and Ted Danson arrested raising awareness for the 'crisis of our oceans'

Updated

Jane Fonda's now three for three. The actress and activist's third "Fire Drill Friday" went off without a hitch as she was arrested again in front of the Capitol Building.

This week's protest focused on how oceans are adversely affected by climate change. Fonda was joined by The Good Place star, Ted Danson, who was really excited about those plastic handcuffs. It’s the first time Danson has been arrested.

According to Washington Post reporter Hannah Jewell, the 71-year-old Cheers star and oceans activist told a group of college kids that getting arrested "sharpens the mind."

The crowd was the largest since Fonda's "Fire Drill Friday" kick-off earlier this month. This week, the group wanted to bring awareness to "the crisis for our oceans."

"60 percent of the oxygen we breathe comes because the oceans make it from sunlight," Fonda said in a press release Friday. "More than one billion people get their protein from the oceans. But fossil fuels are killing the oceans. This must stop."

The United States Capitol Police confirmed to Yahoo Entertainment 32 people were arrested Friday for unlawfully demonstrating. All were charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding. Fonda said on her blog that everyone pays $50 upon release, and that "Fire Drill Friday" will provide funds for those in need.

The 81-year-old Grace and Frankie actress intends to get arrested every Friday into January in order to bring awareness to the climate crisis. Each week will focus on a specific climate change issue. Fonda, who was inspired by Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, has already been hauled in by police twice this month. Last Friday, Fonda and a group of demonstrators — including her co-star Sam Waterston — were arrested for unlawfully demonstrating as they called upon lawmakers to adopt the Green New Deal.

"It was a successful action last Friday," Fonda wrote on her blog, saying the "crowd was bigger" and "spirits were high."

"The wonderful Sam Waterston joined me. This was special because Sam is essentially a centrist, not given to speaking at such rallies or getting arrested," noted Fonda. "But he was there and most articulate in expressing how, while he might not agree with every aspect of the Green New Deal, he sees it as a framework for solutions on the scale and depth commensurate with the catastrophe we’re facing. He understands we are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis and that now is the time for everyone, including centrists, to join together to make the necessary changes."

She added, "The Green New Deal isn’t a policy, it’s a framework for weaning ourselves off fossil fuel by mid-century in a just and equitable way, leaving no one behind. ... Yes, The Green New Deal will be a huge, disruptive, super ambitious undertaking and yes, it will cost a whole lot of money. But the cost of inaction is huge."

"There is no choice now," she concluded. "Scientists tell us the tipping point for catastrophe is only 11 years off."

Fonda intends to get arrested 11 more times before reporting to the set of Grace and Frankie.

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