Medford becomes first in Mass. to divest from fossil fuels, human rights violators

In a three hour-long meeting Tuesday evening, Medford City Council members voted to pass a first-in-the-state ordinance that would divest city funds from companies that supply weapons, derive revenue from prisons or fossil fuels, or companies that “directly, knowingly and over time” contribute to human rights violations, including genocide.

“If we have these public funds, we are not going to invest them in this global effort that disregards and dehumanizes people in so many different ways, whether that’s for political gain or for private profit – or in many cases both – in a never- ending cycle of destruction and violence,” Medford City Council President Isaac Bears said at the Tuesday meeting. Bears sponsored the ordinance.

Note: the Mayor of Medford must still approve the ordinance.