Exxon Mobil gave a cease-and-desist order to Comcast, forcing the cable provider to pull an ad about climate change from Fox News' coverage of the State of the Union address in some areas, according to a press release from one of the groups responsible for the ad.

The ad, titled "Exxon Hates Your Children," urges Congress to eliminate fossil fuel industry subsidies, and was produced by progressive advocacy groups Oil Change International, The Other 98% and Environmental Action.

Huffington Post reports:

The ad was scheduled to air in Houston, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, during Fox's State of the Union coverage. However, a few hours before the event began, a senior vice president of Universal McCann, which handles global media duties for Exxon, fired off an email to Comcast, which provides Fox programming in those areas.

"Please let this serve as an official cease & desist notification that claims made by Oil Change International that their claims in any spot that 'ExxonMobil Hates Your Children' is false and unsubstantiated," the email stated.

"ExxonMobil fully expects the spot in question to be pulled down immediately," the email continued. "Any delay in executing this cease & desist will be viewed as willful defamation and slander of the Exxon Mobil Corporation and will result in aggressive action."

The ad is part of an ongoing campaign -- ExxonHatesYourChildren.com -- targeting the more than $10 billion per year the U.S. government spends in fossil fuel subsidies. In response to Exxon's move to halt the ad run, they’ve launched a new group statement, Exxon Can’t Silence Us, which is already garnering thousands of public signatures online.

“When the richest company on Earth uses their power to silence the voices of average Americans it’s a very dark day for democracy,” said John Sellers, of The Other 98%. “Exxon thinks that they can take away our right to freedom of speech. They have made a huge mistake. They will only make us louder.”

“Every year U.S. taxpayers give Exxon and the rest of Big Fossil at least $10 Billion corporate welfare – it’s time to stop our tax dollars from funding climate chaos” said Steve Kretzmann, of Oil Change International. “People are tired of seeing our political system bullied by the biggest oil companies in the world. It’s time to fight back.”

“We wanted to do something very simple: on a night where the President laid out a plan to address our climate and economic challenges, we wanted Fox News viewers to finally hear about Exxon and the billions in taxpayer dollars that go toward helping them ruin our future,” said Drew Hudson, Executive Director of Environmental Action. “What people can’t understand is why it’s okay for some viewers to hear the full story in primetime, but others have to be shielded by the richest company in the world.”

“Exxon Hates Your Children” ad hits the airwaves: Hard hitting ad targeting subsidies to air in multiple markets this weekend.

Countering a multi-million dollar onslaught of advertising by the oil industry in defense of its subsidies, three progressive organizations re-launched ExxonHatesYourChildren.com today. The provocative campaign consists of a web site and a TV ad that will is crowd funded by supporters online.

Having now surpassed $12,500 in funds raised in mostly small donations from individuals around the country and 118,000 views on YouTube, the hard-hitting ad - called “Genius” by Grist.org - will begin hitting the airwaves in key markets this weekend.

The campaign targets $10 billion in fossil fuel subsidies provided annually by Congress. Not a single fossil fuel subsidy was eliminated in the deal that was ultimately struck in the fiscal cliff negotiations; in fact, tens of millions of dollars in subsidies to coal and oil companies were extended, on top of the billions in ongoing subsidies that continue.

Meanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute presented their latest “State of American Energy” report on Tuesday, which pushes for less regulation, more oil and gas production, and continuing subsidies.

“The American Petroleum Institute, Exxon’s mouthpiece, laid out a vision that spells disaster for the climate and our future,” said Steve Kretzmann, Executive Director of Oil Change International. “It’s time to stop subsidizing an industry that is hell-bent on using our tax money to destroy the planet for future generations.”

The ad will air in Washington, DC, New York City and Denver in the initial round starting Friday, January 11th. Denver was included by the campaign to ensure the ad is seen by some of the same viewers who were subjected in late 2012 to ads from the American Petroleum Institute defending the subsidies the “Exxon Hates Your Children” ad is targeting.

“The fact remains that Exxon and its counterparts in the fossil fuel industry are spending every day imperiling our futures just so they can make a profit,” said John Sellers, Executive Director of The Other 98%. “And what’s more, they’re making their profits on the backs of American taxpayers. It’s time for that to end.”

“The climate isn’t waiting for us to act. Every day we subsidize this dirty industry is a day we are moving in the wrong direction and giving our kids a scarier future,” said Drew Hudson, Executive Director of Environmental Action.

Details on the initial advertisement airings are as follows:

Denver - 6949, COMCAST, Denver DMA Interconnect

MSNBC

Friday, January 11th, 7p-8p The Rachel Maddow Show
Saturday, January 12th, 6a-8a UP With Chris Hayes

[Via priceofoil.org]
Washington, DC - 6030, COMCAST, Washington Interconnect

MSNBC

Friday, January 11th, 8p-9p The Rachel Maddow Show
Saturday, January 12th, 7a-9a UP with Chris Hayes
Sunday, January 13th, 7a-9a UP with Chris Hayes

New York City - 0201, VIAMEDIA, INC., Viamedia/NYC Roll-Up Zone, NY

MSNBC

Friday, January 11th, 9p-10p The Rachel Maddow Show
Saturday, January 12th, 8a-10a UP with Chris Hayes

Blood flows down the face of an injured protester who was injured during clashes between supporters of Spanish coal miners and riot police as they ended a "Marcha Negra" (Black March) near the Industry Ministry in Madrid July 11, 2012 (Reuters/Paul Hanna)

At least 76 people have been injured in Madrid as clashes flared up between protesters and police, the latter using rubber bullets. Thousands of Spaniards turned out against new cuts introduced by the government.

Those injured include 33 police officers and 43 protesters – miners and their supporters.

Minor arrests have been made so far, with eight people being detained. Three of those arrested reportedly threw bricks at police, local El Pais newspaper reported. The police have confirmed that there were no miners among the arrested.
...

Witnesses and demonstrators claim that police started the attack without any warning.
...

Protesters disagree with a 63 per cent cut in subsidies to coal mining companies, major contributors to the Spanish energy market. Unions say the plan threatens 30,000 jobs and could destroy their livelihoods.

Miners, who were hiking from the north of the country for the past two weeks, have been joined by tens of thousands of Spaniards also protesting against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s tax hike.

The prime minister announced his decision to raise VAT by 3 per cent as part of the plan to trim the public budget by 65 billion euro over the next two-and-a-half years. Rajoy also declared a 3.5-billion-euro cut to local government spending.

Many protesters marched more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) from mines in northern Spain.

As protesters call for more demonstrations to make their voices heard journalist and writer Miguel-Anxo Murado told RT that the government seems to underestimate the protests.

Much more at RT.com