Protesters to meet Rick Perry in Philly

President Donald Trump’s secretary of energy Rick Perry, who previously called for the abolition of that very department, will be in Philadelphia on Friday morning to speak with energy industry leaders at a forum.

The forum, “Reliable Resources: Finding Energy Stability in an Unpredictable World,” was organized by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and will bring together public- and private- sector energy heavyweights to the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing Friday morning.

“This program will dive into what makes Greater Philadelphia a prominent and stable region across energy sectors,” the Chamber said in its event listing.

However, left-wing protesters with Refuse Fascism Philly have been organizing to bring protesters to the Hilton on Friday.

“Rick Perry, a climate change-denying and science-denying Christian fascist, has no business serving in ANY governmental capacity – much less Energy Secretary!” they wrote on the Facebook page for the event, which they described as an ’emergency protest for the planet and all its inhabitants.”

Protesters in particular took issue with Perry’s June comments on climate change, when he stated, ”The science isn’t settled yet. I tend to say, okay, let’s have a conversation and get these guys together.”

With the fracking boom seemingly over for now in Pennsylvania and civic leaders discussing reshaping the region into “an energy hub,” the energy sector in the region is more primed than ever for national attention, the Chamber said.

“As the home to numerous major refineries, including the largest oil-refining complex on the U.S. Eastern seaboard,” the Chamber said in a statement, “a wealth of interstate pipeline connectivity, and several natural gas pipeline projects in the planning stages or under construction, Greater Philadelphia has the necessary tools to remain a reliable hub in the industry.”