Wall Street Pushes Back After Activists Escalate Protests (1)

Against a backdrop of intensifying climate protests targeting Wall Street, the heavyweights of US finance are pushing back against what they characterize as a fundamentally flawed debate.

For more than a month now, scores of activists have mounted near-daily protests outside the Manhattan headquarters of Citigroup Inc., with video footage showing tense scenes and a memo to staff urging employees to stay cool. The campaign — dubbed “Summer of Heat” — promises a steady escalation of disruptions and says its ultimate goal is to “shut down Wall Street.”

Activists block the entrance of the Citigroup headquarters during the “Summer of Heat” campaign on June 28.

Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg

Far from caving in to such pressure, Wall ...