The report starts by painting a picture of the morning before the protest, saying that Diacono and the co-founder of the climate group Rave Revolution were in a garage putting the “finishing touches on his [Diacono’s] masterpiece — a human-size planet Earth sign made out of wood with the day’s objective emblazoned in white paint: Burners of the World Unite.”

“‘Nature loves courage,’ Diacono repeats to himself like he does every morning, quoting American ethnobotanist and mystic Terence McKenna,” the article continued. 

Rolling Stone went on to detail the day, explaining that the festival was chosen by the activists for the impact it had on them when they attended it themselves quoting Diacono as he said “Burning Man changed my life”.

“Formerly loyal Burners themselves, both credit it as a major catalyst in their political awakening; the first time they had glimpsed the possibility that human beings, by nature, are cooperative and generous.”

But, the authors wrote, “How long can you celebrate Burning Man when real people are on fire?”

Diacono was arrested last year for blocking the road to the festival venue, causing miles-long traffic and rangers to be called in, with police eventually ramming the blockade and injuring one of the women present.

Do you agree with the sentiments of this protest?