Black Band Friday
Get ready - Black Band Friday - 20 January
What is Black Band Friday?
Thousands of activists and publics across the world will observe the Global Black Band Friday on 20 January. Black Band Friday will be observed across the world to demand governments Tax The Rich. Participating activists and publics will be wearing a Black Band to show that at a time of multiple crises pushing us to the brink, we demand real change. The Black Band Friday takes place as the super rich have gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum.
The Black Band Action will begin in Asia and sweep across the globe via Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean with actions taking place in each of the countries mobilising throughout the day. We invite everyone around the world to join in.
What time will Black Band Friday take place?
The action will take place on Friday, the 20th January 2023. Hold your actions at the following times so we can create a powerful wave of actions across the world during the day:
- In Asia - between 10am - 2pm local time in your country.
- In Africa - between 10am - 2pm local time in your country.
- In Europe – between 10am - 2pm local time in your country.
- In North and Latin America - 10am - 2pm local time in your country.
Should I join in?
Yes! If you have had enough of spiralling inequality and agree with the call to tax the richest more in our societies, and you want a more just, equal and sustainable world, then a bigger YES! The movement fighting inequality is growing around the world. We must demonstrate our diversity and our collective strength on the 20th January. This is a unified action we can all take – no matter wherever we are and whoever we are to show that together we are powerful and can drive massive change including taxing the richest on earth to make the world more equal for everyone.
You can join in whichever community, organization, movement or country you are in. You can join in as a feminist, an environmentalist, a worker, a person of faith, an unemployed person, an LGBTQI+ activist, a young person, a dalit activist, a smallholder farmer, a TikTokker, an artist etc, etc
What do I need to get involved?
Get a group of people together, the number doesn't have to be large. You can be in an office, out in public, at a park or anywhere else that works best for you.
Wear a black arm band (just use a simple piece of cloth - whatever you have)
Say why you want to #TaxTheRich (here’s 9 reasons if you are feeling stuck)
Post the picture or video on twitter using the hashtags #BlackBandFriday #FightInequality #TaxTheRich.
Is this part of the Global Protest to Fight Inequality?
Yes - Black Band Friday is one of the major actions of this year’s Global Protest to Fight Inequality! The Global Protest to #FightInequality has been taking place since 2017 and will take place between 14-21 January 2023. It is the largest global mobilization of the year and ‘kicks off’ 2023. We need to show our collective power with our mobilization and we need everybody. The message that we need to Tax the Rich and build People’s Alternatives to Davos must build our movement and drive headlines around the world.
During the 2022 Global Protest we mobilized in January and again in May as the WEF met twice in one year. We had a global virtual rally to #TaxTheRich, we reached more than 24 million people in 42 countries with our shared call to #TaxTheRich, we got our agenda into the media with opinion pieces and much more. In 2023, we are living through a global economic recession and multiple crises that push even more people towards the brink. This January we are organizing People’s Assemblies to put more power behind our solutions to inequality, as well as other forms of protest action throughout the week. See the plans here.