Actress and activist Jane Fonda voiced support Friday for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernard Sanders, citing the Vermont independent’s strong stance on climate change.

“We have to get a climate president in office, and there’s only one right now, and that’s Bernie Sanders,” Ms. Fonda told USA Today, the publication reported. “So, I’m indirectly saying I believe you have to support the climate candidate.”

Ms. Fonda, 82, spoke in support of the self-described democratic socialist prior to participating in a protest against the fossil fuel industry held by activists in Los Angeles.

“Here in California, oil companies have been allowed to drill at will for 150 years, fueling the climate crisis and also a health and an environmental justice crisis from the production of their dirty products,” Ms. Fonda said during the demonstration.

On his presidential campaign website, Mr. Sanders calls the climate crisis “the single greatest challenge facing our country” and a “global emergency” demanding immediate action.

He is currently competing against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden to run against President Trump as the Democratic nominee in November. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii Democrat, also remains in the race, but has thus far only won two delegates for the nominating convention and does not meet the criteria for the next televised primary debate.

Ms. Fonda has participated in several climate change protests in recent months, including demonstrations in D.C. late last year that resulted in her being arrested five times within a span of several weeks.

Her comment about Mr. Sanders was made after having previously contributed to the campaigns of several of the senator’s former rivals in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who each subsequently ended their bids.

The remark also resulted in “Hanoi Jane,” a nickname she earned while protesting the Vietnam War, briefly trending on Twitter early Saturday.

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