June 30, 2008
protestors arrested at Dominion Virginia Power
The RTD is reporting 13 protestors were arrested outside of Dominion Virginia Power’s offices on Tredegar Street at around 7AM this morning. According to the RTD, “four people interlocked their arms and buried their hands in a 55-gallon drum of hardened cement and were sitting on the footbridge from Tredgar to Belle Isle. [...] A fifth person was suspended from a rope attached to that drum of cement, and he was hanging off the bridge.” They were protesting Dominion Virginia Power’s plans to build a new coal-fueled power plant in Wise County.
How did they get their hands out of the hardened cement?
Not much insight offered by the RTD piece. I tried to kick off further scrutiny about the issue (including a local politics angle, pics, and links to other coverage):
http://caramelizedopinions.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-protest-dominion-power.html
Can we get a diagram of this, it sounds confusing, or maybe a picture?
Right now this sounds more like installation art than a protest.
Still no word on how their hands were removed from the hardened cement. Did they book ‘em with the drums still attached? Did they jack-hammer the cement? I don’t why, but I am really curious about this . . .
In the past week, James Hansen, NASA climate expert, told congress that if we don’t starting doing something today to reduce CO2 in the world, in ten years “we will be toast” –it will be too late then to reverse the catastrophic climate changes that will occur. He says we should start with getting rid of coal burning plants first.
Lockdown devices usually have tube running through with pins in the middle for the protesters to attach handcuffs. The police usually have a tough time getting boltcutters into the tube and so they have to wait around brainstorming ideas (while the protesters accomplish the goal of disruption). The cement barrel prevents the simple removal of the protesters (as noted in the hilarouis Tobacco Ave piece). The specifics of the protesters arrest/transport may be on the Blue Ridge Earth First! blog. But, more importantly, maybe we should be contemplating Dominion’s “power.”
Thank you, Boo. Here is the Tobacco Avenue piece: http://tarichmond.com/2008/07/01/stuck-in-cement-dominion-protestors-left-for-dead/
Try fossil fuel CEOs for crimes against humanity, NASA scientist says
http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/06/try-fossil-fuel-ceos-for-crimes-against.asp
I posted something similar yesterday on the chpn http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/are-big-oil-and-big-coal-climate-criminals/ .
Here is a site with articles pertaining to regional plants burning oil and coal http://www.chesapeakeclimate.org/index.cfm
Robert Grey, one of Richmond’s mayoral candidates, is being backed by Dominion Power chief, Tom Farrell (go here http://www.styleweekly.com:80/article.asp?idarticle=17235 ).
These kids protesting Dominion Power bring me hope.
While I tend to agree with the stance of the protesters, I found their display to be childish. What they did probably turned more people off to their cause, because a lot people quit listening when faced with irresponsible and crazy-looking behavior. Yes, maybe something I would have done when I way 20. But now I am 40 and I think there are much better ways to get your point across.
I am shocked that so many people my age think don’t share these views. What have the people in Wise county done to prevent this? Could there be a better way to organize? Maybe some PR would help. I didn’t even know much about this until recently, and now it almost looks too late. I hope not, I have already sent a letter to my representative.
And, dang it, how DID they get their hands out of that cement?
I can’t condone their actions, but its pretty clear to me that they acted out of desperation.
There is a huge amount of citizens in and out of Wise County who have done everything they can to get the word out and express their opposition to the proposed coal plant.
Dominion and the government won’t hear it. Our representatives, including Governor Kaine, have failed us.
Damn straight, they have failed us. Only folk with money will be able to afford land around one of the polar ice caps. The more you start hearing rich folk talking about their vacation home in colder climates, get nervous.
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-08-0028.html