MEDIA ADVISORY
Millionaires protest in Davos against extreme wealth and call for wealth taxes
WHAT: As the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum opens in Davos, Patriotic Millionaires, Patriotic Millionaires UK, and taxmenow join activists from the 99% Initiative and protest outside the elite compound, calling for an end to extreme wealth and support for wealth taxes.
WHEN: Sunday 22 May, 1500CEST
WHERE: Postplatz, Davos, Switzerland
As the world’s billionaires and leaders meet in a closed compound to discuss the planet’s greatest problems, millionaires will join protests outside the conference reminding delegates that extreme wealth is eroding democracy and calling on them to support taxing the rich.
Members of the Patriotic Millionaires and taxmenow will join the 99% Initiative in calling for wealth taxes to reduce inequality and help deal with the cost of living scandal playing out in multiple nations around the world.
Phil White, former consultant and now member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, is attending the protest to draw attention to the gross divide between extreme wealth and the majority of everyday people.
Phil White said: “While the rest of the world is collapsing under the weight of an economic crisis, billionaires and world leaders meet in this private compound to discuss turning points in history. It’s outrageous that our political leaders listen to those who have the most, know the least about the economic impact of this crisis, and many of whom pay infamously little in taxes. The only credible outcome from this conference is to tax the richest and tax us now. Tax the delegates attending Davos 2022”
White continued: “Protests are happening around the world calling for the richest to be taxed – and there will be more unless our governments act. Any millionaire who has sense enough to see that our current economic model is failing will support these protests. I’m proud to be here with 99% Initiative, as a millionaire who understands that we are at a turning point in history, to demand an end to extreme wealth”
Marlene Engelhorn, co-founder of taxmenow, said: “As someone who has enjoyed the benefits of wealth my whole life I know how skewed our economy is and I cannot continue to sit back and wait for someone, somewhere, to do something. I feel there is no option left for us other than to take action. Our governments continue to do nothing to address gross inequality and instead meet behind closed doors in this spectacle of private wealth. We have hit the end of the line when another quarter of a billion people will be pushed into extreme poverty this year. It’s time to rebalance the world. It’s time to tax the rich.”
Ends
For interviews with Phil White on the day please contact Molly Fleming – molly@neweconomyorganisers.org, 07999 403 514
For interviews with Marlene Engelhorn from taxmenow contact press@taxmenow.eu
For more information before the event contact Rebecca Gowland, rgowland@pm-mig.test, +44(0)7968821093.
Notes to editor
Patriotic Millionaires and Patriotic Millionaires UK is a non-party political network of millionaires, advocating for action on economic inequality and higher taxes on themselves.
Taxmenow is a network of wealthy activists based in Austria and Germany calling for tax justice.