An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 protesters converged on the nationโs capitol Sunday to press President Obama to block construction of the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport tar-sands oil from Canada to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.
The rally, which culminated in a human ring encircling the White House, was a sequel to Augustโs civil disobedience campaign, during which 1,252 protesters were arrested.
By 1 p.m., throngs of ralliers โ wearing bright orange vests emblazoned with the words โSTOP the Pipelineโ โ were already congregating at Lafayette Square Park across from the White House. Protesters from across the country and Canada waved signs opposing Keystone XL and chanted: โHey Obama, we donโt want no climate drama!โ
โOur dependence on fossil fuel is like a cultural addiction to harmful substances,โ said Jim Wallis, president and CEO of Sojourners, a Washington, D.C.-based Christian social justice organization. โThis campaign is an intervention in the soul of the economy.โ
Within earshot of the White House, the peaceful protest aimed to... Read more
