Climate activists in Seattle are protesting the Blue Angels, the famous U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, ahead of a planned appearance at the city’s Seafair festival this coming weekend.
An alliance of activist groups known as the Airshow Climate Action Coalition recently put up a billboard on Seattle’s south side reading “Say No To Blue Angels!” It shows city residents covering their ears in discomfort alongside the words “Too Loud,” “War Trauma,” and “Pollution.”
“We don’t oppose Seafair. We do oppose the continued Boeing-sponsored airshow with the Blue Angels,” Mary Paterson, a volunteer with 350 Seattle and a member of the Airshow Climate Action Coalition, told KCPQ-TV in Seattle.
Paterson told the station that the coalition opposes the “militarization” of Seafair, as well as the air and noise pollution the Blue Angels create.
“The noise they make, which is so thrilling for some, causes hearing damage, especially for children,” she said.
Aedan McCall, who designed the billboard, lived on nearby Mercer Island for over 10 years before leaving due to the effects of the air show, according to a report from the Seattle Times.
“The sheer amount of carbon emissions the Blue Angels create–670 tons in one weekend–is immense and wasteful on top of being a big display of U.S. militarism,” McCall told the newspaper.
Ongoing Concerns
The Blue Angels have performed at Seafair’s air show almost every year since 1972. The event draws thousands of spectators but is somewhat controversial in the Seattle area, where some residents complain about the noise from the squadron’s jet engines. Others are concerned that a low-flying aircraft could crash into a densely populated city neighborhood.
The organizers behind the Seafair festival said they are aware of the coalition’s criticisms.
“We have met with this group before,” Emily Cantrell, president and CEO of Seafair, told KCPQ. “We tend to meet with them each year and we listen to their concerns, and we know not everyone loves the Blue Angels as much as we do.”
Cantell also said the air show is safe.
“What I think a lot of people don’t know is the smoke trails that people comment about, these are actually made with biodegradable paraffin oil, which is safe for the environment,” she said.
The organizers also said they publicize the air show in advance each year so residents affected by the noise can avoid it.
“Some people do make arrangements to leave town,” Cantrell said. “That’s why we publish the dates a year in advance, so they can find other accommodations. So, again, we understand that we aren’t for everyone.”
The Airshow Climate Action Coalition plans to hold an in-person protest on August 2.
