From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Protests in Asheville coincided with the G20 Finance Track meetings held Aug. 28-30 at the Omni Grove Park Inn in North Asheville.

The key issues and focus were as follows:

• Tropical Storm Helene recovery: Local activists and storm survivors argued that federal recovery aid remains largely unfinished and stalled, challenging the administration’s narrative that the area is fully revitalized.

• Climate and economy: Demonstrators criticized fossil fuel dependency — linking it to extreme weather events like Helene —and raised broader concerns regarding economic inequality, corporate influence, and global policies.

Actions and events were as follows:

• “Line the Streets:” Dozens of participants gathered on Aug. 29, spreading out along Merrimon Avenue for more than a mile and a half to wave signs and chant.

• Banner drops: Coalition groups like the WNC Alignment Table organized “People Over Profits” demonstrations, featuring banner drops on multiple local overpasses and bridges, including the Hill Street Pedestrian Bridge and Charlotte Street.