In 2024, climate activists in New York City joined forces with anti-Israel protesters during a rally dubbed “Climate Justice Means Liberation for Palestine.” Previously, activist Greta Thunberg had made headlines when she vocally protested Israel’s actions from a flotilla while chanting “Free! Free! Palestine!” Last week, members of Code Pink, a feminist activist group supported by American expat Neville Roy Singham, opted out of a gathering in favor of Iran and Cuba to condemn a data center initiative in Utah funded by investor Kevin O’Leary.
You might wonder—what’s the link between these seemingly separate causes? Experts suggest that climate activists, anti-Israel protestors, and various other groups are finding common ground in their shared criticism of the U.S. and financial backing from Chinese entities. This unsettling trend could undermine America’s position as the race for artificial intelligence accelerates.
Critics argue that this same activist network is now targeting U.S. AI infrastructure, a move with potential repercussions for America’s standing in the tech arena against China. There’s an increasing overlap featuring communist and Islamist movements, especially evident in campaigns against AI data centers in the U.S. Activists and environmental groups have been working to delay or halt multi-billion-dollar projects over concerns related to energy consumption, water use, and environmental impacts.
Fox News Digital has observed numerous groups protesting side by side across the nation, despite their differing beliefs.
Shared Motivations
According to Zineve Liboua from the Hudson Institute, these protests share a core theme—an anti-American sentiment woven through them. “Climate change has always stirred controversy, but now it seems there’s a search for the next world-altering revolution,” she noted. “And this ongoing revolution against America will find backing.”
Fox News Digital has previously highlighted Singham’s financial support—reportedly $285 million—to activist nonprofits that some believe promote pro-Beijing narratives while fueling anti-American demonstrations. O’Leary has claimed that local groups opposing the Utah project are linked to this funding network. Yet, it’s essential to note that Fox News Digital hasn’t independently verified these claims.
A New Alliance
Liboua warns that the connections among climate activists, anti-Israel groups, communists, and Islamists arise from a broader worldview she labels “Third Worldism.” This ideology tends to cast the U.S. and the West as primary instigators of global issues, uniting otherwise unrelated activist movements under a common anti-Western agenda.
Brenda Shaffer, an energy expert at the US Naval Postgraduate School, describes this convergence as a “red-green-green alliance,” where communist agendas and environmental causes unite around anti-American intentions. The alignment has gained visibility as groups shift focus from environmental issues to protests against Israel and, now, AI infrastructure.
At the “Climate Justice Means Palestinian Freedom” rally in New York City, activists for climate change and Palestine stood together, marking a striking example of this merging dynamic.
Liboua pointed out how Thunberg’s transformation into an outspoken anti-Israel figure illustrates this ideological overlap. “Greta isn’t an Islamist, and I doubt she’s read Marx, but she embodies the spirit of a revolutionary opposing the supposed oppressors, namely the West and the U.S.,” she said.
Impact on Energy and AI
Schaefer expressed concern that this growing alignment could endanger essential U.S. industries, especially in the context of economic competition against China. “Energy is crucial for the AI race and data centers,” she stated in a Zoom interview. While activist groups push against fossil fuels and industrial growth, China continues to expand its energy capabilities.
In fact, Schaefer believes that Western countries are hamstrung by adopting international climate policies, which inadvertently benefit China as it boosts its coal production. She likened this situation to the Cold War era when Soviet funding empowered Europe’s anti-nuclear movements, ultimately safeguarding the Soviet interests.
Liboua argued that many regular protesters might not be ideologically driven but are influenced by straightforward narratives disseminated through social media. “Many individuals genuinely want to stand for something good. They’re aware of the headlines…but there’s a lot of misinformation,” she explained.
Schaefer emphasized that infrastructure and strategic initiatives tied to artificial intelligence require substantial, reliable energy, warning that the U.S. may lag behind if activist resistance continues to stall progress. “You can’t build a weapons industry relying solely on solar power,” she concluded.
