RAMPS is excited to continue to be part of the growing national uprising against extraction!
This past weekend, we had the privilege and honor to be fighting against extraction from many different places.
While some of us happily stayed home in West Virginia to continue the long struggle against surface mining, others traveled around the county to show solidarity with other campaigns in their struggles.
Some folks traveled to Texas, again, to be a part of the Tar Sands Blockade. Over 100 people rallied to help shut down two Keystone XL construction sites for the day. The mass action resulted in 11 arrests, including 4 people who locked themselves to KXL machinery and 3 others who climbed trees in the path of the toxic pipeline. UPDATE 11/21 : all the brave blockaders have been bonded out of jail!
Appalachia Resist! blockades the Ginsburg Injection Well in Athens, County Ohio. November 19, 2012
Meanwhile other RAMPS folks traveled to Athens, Ohio to join up with Appalachia Resist! in their fight against frack-waste injection wells. We had a great time sharing and learning at a weekend direct action camp, which trained an ever-widening group of community members who want to join the resistance to injection wells and the fracking industry in Southeast Ohio. On Monday, we were honored to be a part of a great action that blockaded a frack-waste injection well!
As well, other folks returned to support front line resistance communities on Big Mountain & Black Mesa, AZ. RAMPS is honored to be working with Black Mesa Indigenous Support in supporting the Indigenous peoples of Black Mesa in their resistance to massive coal mining operations and to the forced relocation policies of the US Government.
And let us not forget, Squirrel continued the fight against surface mining from her cell in South Central Regional Jail. She has received many letters of support and solidarity. THANKS to everyone for supporting those who choose to risk arrest and are given jail time! We look forward to picking Squirrel up from jail on Thanksgiving!
In January, we will continue in our commitment to building a national coalition against extraction as we and MORE hold our winter action camp in St. Louis – where surface mining companies Peabody, Arch, and Patriot Coal all have their headquarters. See ya there!
