Robert Kennedy, Julian Bond, Darryl Hannah among those arrested at WH protest

[G_j]

Last edited Wed Feb 13, 2013, 07:44 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/13/1186785/-BREAKING-WH-arrests-to-come-Civil-Disobedience-Action-on-Keystone-XL-today

Wed Feb 13, 2013 at 05:14 AM PST.

BREAKING: WH arrests to come: Civil Disobedience Action on Keystone XL today

by A SiegelFollow .

The morning after the President actually discussed climate change in the State of the Union address, a group of prominent people are heading to the White House to risk arrest in a call on the President to live up to those words on the need to act on climate change. The Keystone XL pipeline, in and of itself, isn't enough to 'cook the planet' -- it is, however, a key tool to foster expanded production of Canadian Tar Sands. And, along with failures to reduce coal consumption, that expanded production could be enough (even without considering all other issues) to hammer in the last nail on the potential for humanity to avert catastrophic climate chaos.

Today's Tar Sands Action will have 50 prominent American leaders (see here for list with quotes from most as to why they are willing to be handcuffed and hauled to prison) from a range of domains.

- Jeremy Grantham -- an excellent financial analyst and advisor -- is a powerful symbol of mounting business and financial concerns. [Update: just learned that Grantham will be there but will not risk arrest although his daughter will ...]
-Rev Lennox Yearwood, Jr, is the head of the Hip Hop Caucus and is representative of youth, religious, and the rainbow reality of concerns over climate change.
- Julian Bond -- truly a civil rights legend -- links climate change issues to the rich legacy of our nation's struggles for civil justice.
- Darryl Hannah provides an example to our other 'stars' about the need to put their celebrity on the line and in the struggle to avert Climate Disruption.
-Randy Thompson -- a Nebraska rancher -- provides a powerful symbol of American farmers' growing realization of how climate disruption is already impacting their lives and of how promoting fossil foolish development is simply, well, outright foolish.
-Michael Brune -- the Executive Director of the Sierra Club -- is a strong symbol of how seriously traditional environmental organizations are taking the struggle against climate change and against Keystone XL

As for the last, the Sierra Club has never authorized civil disobedience in its 120 year history ... until now.

..more..

[G_j]

1. Pipeline protesters arrested at White House

Pipeline protesters arrested at White House

Posted on February 13, 2013 at 11:23 am

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/02/13/activists-risk-arrest-at-white-house-in-pipeline-protest/

Environmental activists — including actress Darryl Hannah, poet laureate Bob Haas, a Texas landowner and climate scientist James Hansen — were arrested at the White House on Wednesday in a bid to convince President Barack Obama to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

The 48 arrested protesters had gathered in front of the east gate of the White House to make their case against the $7 billion project, which would ferry diluted bitumen from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries, potentially expanding the market for oil sands crude harvested in Alberta using more energy-intensive techniques than conventional supplies.

Some handcuffed themselves to the White House fence with cable ties proclaiming “Reject KXL Pipeline.” After blocking a main thoroughfare in front of the White House and rejecting police officers’ requests to move, the activists were arrested.

The activists included Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune and other members of the organization, which was for the first time in more than a century endorsing the act of civil disobedience. Other participants were Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, civil rights activist Julian Bond and Texan Jerry Hightower, whose land is in the pipeline’s path.

By midday, several of the protesters had been led away in handcuffs, including Sierra Club president Allison Chin.

[Camballo]

5. Pennsylvania Avenue

which is the thoroughfare in front of the WH, has been closed off since the OKC Bombing in 1995. Unless that's changed, I don't see how the protesters could have blocked anything but pedestrian traffic. I could be wrong about it remaining closed after Clinton left office. Maybe Bush opened it back up to suggest he was tough.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. No, Bush did not open it back up.

The last time I was in DC, and it has not been too many years ago, it was closed to all traffic. I'm with you, I can't figure out how they were blocking traffic if they were in front of the WH.

[Buzz Clik]

9. When you want to be arrested, the cops in the area around the WH are willing to oblige.

It saves a lot of time for everyone.

[backtoblue]

2. kicked

thanks for the story G_j!

We are on the brink of destroying the very essence and sustenance of all our lifeforms, our own planet.

[G_j]

10. Agreed

[tpsbmam]

3. Thanks for the info and thanks to the wonderful protesters for putting themselves

on the line and doing what more of us should be doing!

K&R

[rhett o rick]

4. Does the Democratic Party have an official stand on this issue? If so, why not? nm

[Berlum]

6. Salute

[G_j]

12. Right on!

Great pic!

[starroute]

8. Also Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

http://ecowatch.org/2013/48-leaders-engage-in-historic-act-of-civil-disobedience-to-stop-keystone-xl-pipeline/

This morning, 48 environmental, civil rights and community leaders from across the country joined together for a historic display of civil disobedience at the White House where they demanded that President Obama deny the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and address the climate crisis.

Among the notable leaders involved in the civil disobedience were Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club; Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org; Julian Bond, former president of the NAACP; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., president of Waterkeeper Alliance; Danny Kennedy, CEO of Sungevity, and Daryl Hannah, actress.

[G_j]

11. Robert Kennedy, Julian Bond among those arrested at White House protest over oil pipeline

http://m.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/sierra-club-leader-to-risk-arrest-in-protest-against-keystone-xl-oil-pipeline/2013/02/13/86d23d00-75ce-11e2-9889-60bfcbb02149_story.html

WASHINGTON — Celebrities and environmental activists, including lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and civil rights leader Julian Bond, were arrested Wednesday after tying themselves to the White House gate to protest the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada.

Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also was arrested — the first time in the group’s 120-year history that a club leader was arrested in an act of civil disobedience. The club’s board of directors approved the action as a sign of its opposition to the $7 billion pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Activist Bill McKibben, actress Daryl Hannah and NASA climate scientist James Hansen also were arrested, along with more than 40 others. They were charged with failure to disperse and obey lawful orders, and released on $100 bond each.

The protesters are demanding that President Barack Obama reject the pipeline, which they say would carry “dirty oil” that contributes to global warming. They also worry about a spill.

[forestpath]

13. K&R