As long as predatory equity firms have been encroaching on the livelihoods of communities facing marginalization, people have fought back. This timeline of #ShutDownKKR resistance only captures a small snap-shot of this campaign.
2017
Toys‘R’Us Campaign
After KKR takes over the Toy store chain, they are saddled with debt and driven to bankruptcy. Over 30 000 workers are left jobless and with no severance. In response, they fight back and launch a national campaign. The campaign fights for worker compensation and organizes to stop KKR from trying to destroy the livelihoods of other workers through the same predatory practices favoured by equity firms across the imperial core.
November 2018:
Toys “R” Us former workers win major victory against KKR
- After months of organizing, former Toys “R” Us workers win a 20 million dollar compensation package – an unprecedented victory!
November 2018:
December 2019:
KKR announces pending deal to join forces with AIMCo and purchase 65% of Coastal GasLink
KKR and AIMCO will now be the new majority stakeholders in Coastal GasLink
February 2020:
Sit-in at KKR office in London, UK
UK based organizers take action and conduct a sit-in at KKR’s London office, holding the space peacefully for four hours.
February 2020:
March 2020:
First online #ShutDownKKR day of action
As Covid-19 reaches Europe and Turtle Island, organizers join forces across the Atlantic ocean to host an online day of action against KKR. Over 1000 people RSVP, and thousands of emails and calls are made to KKR head offices, demanding they back out of the deal to purchase KKR.
April 2020:
Second online #ShutDownKKR day of action
Organizers keep the pressure on KKR, and organize another day of tweeting, calling and emailing KKR executives.
April 2020:
May 2020:
Online action and rally to #ShutDownKKR
A digital rally delivers the 230 000 signatures opposing the Coastal GasLink deal to KKR and features Freda Huson, Unist’ot’en Clan member and spokesperson of Unist’ot’en camp, Molly Wickham, Gidimt’en clan member and spokesperson of Wet’suwet’en Access Point on Gidimt’en Territory, Tlux’shaa’du’stee, Liz Marin who has experience winning against KKR before, Janet MacGillivray, J.D, L.L.M., the executive director of Seeding Sovereignty, Delee NIkal, Wet’suwet’en Organizer from Gidim’ten Clan and Nigel Henri Robinson from Indigenous Youth for Wet’suwet’en
May 2020:
Deal finalized
KKR ignores hundreds of thousands of voices and pushes ahead with becoming the new majority stakeholder of Coastal GasLink, profiting from an ongoing colonial occupation of sovereign Wet’suwet’en territory.
May 2020:
Sept 2020:
Third online #ShutDownKKR day of action (also facebook censorship)
Just as Shut Down KKR organizers prepare for another online day of action, all facebook accounts associated with any facebook page that has previously organized an online day of action against KKR. After multiple national news articles about the mass-banning, accounts are reinstated, and the day of action is able to still go ahead.
Sept 2020:
Projection & plane actions to #ShutDownKKR
Messages targeting KKR are projected on the walls of their NYC office, making national news, the following day a coordinated day as a plane flies above carrying the words “Shut Down KKR” on a banner behind it.
Sept 2020:
Sept 2020:
Banner drop in front of KKR “California” office
Banner drop takes place outside of KKR’s office on Ohlone territories.
Nov 2020:
Fourth online #ShutDownKKR day of action
In response to a call from the Wet’suwet’en frontlines, another online day of action against KKR is coordinated.
Nov 2020:
April 2021
Launch of shutdownKKR.com
Website is live, so that communities can learn about the truth behind this harmful private equity firm, and start organizing.
