Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Organizers of the WNC Alignment website are working to spread the word on social media about planned events in protest of the G20 Finance Track meetings taking place in Asheville this weekend.
The meetings, taking place at the Omni Grove Park Inn, will bring together G20 finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 countries, including the United States.
In its organizational materials, WNC Alignment lists four “People Over Profits” events over three days starting Friday:
Aug. 28: 4:30-5:30 p.m. — Banner drop on bridges in Asheville
Aug. 28: 6-6:30 p.m. — Press conference in Pack Square Plaza, next to the Asheville Art Museum
Aug. 29: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. — Lining Merrimon Avenue
Aug. 30: 4-6 p.m. — WNC C20 Vigil and Summit at Pack Square Amphitheater
In detailed materials shared online, WNC Alignment said Friday's banner drop will include targeted messaging at overpasses along Interstate 240 and Interstate 26 from Charlotte Street to Asheville Regional Airport. Saturday's “Line the Streets” event encourages participants to hold protest signs along the 500-700 block of Merrimon Avenue. Sunday's vigil will focus on Helene recovery, organizers said.
In those materials, organizers say they want to “raise awareness about our local recovery, its ongoing challenges and how these struggles are linked to struggles across the globe” when it comes to Helene. Organizers said they want to focus on climate change and its connection to natural disasters like Helene.
“We know that climate change made Helene much worse, and the global dependence on fossil fuels is supercharging climate disasters around the world. Our lives and our communities have been deemed expendable as our governments continue to prop up fossil fuel interests and prioritize cryptocurrency over meaningful debt relief,” the group said.
Kim Miller, a spokesperson for the city of Asheville, confirmed the city has not received any applications for permits or notifications of non-permitted free-speech assemblies. Miller said such permitting would apply in most protest and rally cases.
According to the city's online form, demonstrations and marches, unless permitted, are prohibited from blocking streets or intersections or obstructing traffic flow. The policy states that demonstrators are asked to stay on sidewalks and abide by all traffic rules.
What is the G20?
The G20, or Group of 20, as described on the meeting's Miami website, is “an international forum that brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies to discuss and coordinate economic policy. Its participants represent about 85% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and two-thirds of the world's population.”
Participating countries include Brazil, China, India, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, England and the United States.
The events in Asheville are meetings leading up to the final G20 meetings during President Donald Trump's Leaders Summit, scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.
#protest #g20
MORE: wlos.com/news/local/asheville-g20-protests-finance-meetings-wnc-alignment-grove-park-inn-helene-climate
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WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.
This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com
Organizers of the WNC Alignment website are working to spread the word on social media about planned events in protest of the G20 Finance Track meetings taking place in Asheville this weekend.
The meetings, taking place at the Omni Grove Park Inn, will bring together G20 finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 countries, including the United States.
In its organizational materials, WNC Alignment lists four “People Over Profits” events over three days starting Friday:
Aug. 28: 4:30-5:30 p.m. — Banner drop on bridges in Asheville
Aug. 28: 6-6:30 p.m. — Press conference in Pack Square Plaza, next to the Asheville Art Museum
Aug. 29: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. — Lining Merrimon Avenue
Aug. 30: 4-6 p.m. — WNC C20 Vigil and Summit at Pack Square Amphitheater
In detailed materials shared online, WNC Alignment said Friday's banner drop will include targeted messaging at overpasses along Interstate 240 and Interstate 26 from Charlotte Street to Asheville Regional Airport. Saturday's “Line the Streets” event encourages participants to hold protest signs along the 500-700 block of Merrimon Avenue. Sunday's vigil will focus on Helene recovery, organizers said.
In those materials, organizers say they want to “raise awareness about our local recovery, its ongoing challenges and how these struggles are linked to struggles across the globe” when it comes to Helene. Organizers said they want to focus on climate change and its connection to natural disasters like Helene.
“We know that climate change made Helene much worse, and the global dependence on fossil fuels is supercharging climate disasters around the world. Our lives and our communities have been deemed expendable as our governments continue to prop up fossil fuel interests and prioritize cryptocurrency over meaningful debt relief,” the group said.
Kim Miller, a spokesperson for the city of Asheville, confirmed the city has not received any applications for permits or notifications of non-permitted free-speech assemblies. Miller said such permitting would apply in most protest and rally cases.
According to the city's online form, demonstrations and marches, unless permitted, are prohibited from blocking streets or intersections or obstructing traffic flow. The policy states that demonstrators are asked to stay on sidewalks and abide by all traffic rules.
What is the G20?
The G20, or Group of 20, as described on the meeting's Miami website, is “an international forum that brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies to discuss and coordinate economic policy. Its participants represent about 85% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and two-thirds of the world's population.”
Participating countries include Brazil, China, India, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, England and the United States.
The events in Asheville are meetings leading up to the final G20 meetings during President Donald Trump's Leaders Summit, scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.
#protest #g20
MORE: wlos.com/news/local/asheville-g20-protests-finance-meetings-wnc-alignment-grove-park-inn-helene-climate
_______________
Follow WLOS on social media:
WLOS ABC 13 News on Facebook: facebook.com/News13
WLOS ABC 13 News on X: https://x.com/WLOS_13
WLOS ABC 13 News on Instagram: instagram.com/wlos_13
Subscribe to WLOS on YouTube: youtube.com/user/ABC13Channel/?sub_confirmation=1
For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit wlos.com
Stream our newscasts LIVE: wlos.com/watch
Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:
Email us: news@wlos.com
Call the Newsroom: 828.684.1340
--
WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.
This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com
