More than 100 activists have been arrested so far for protesting against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in front of the White House — and more are getting locked up every day. At least 2,100 people have signed up to participate in the two-week sit-in, which kicked off on Saturday and will continue every day through Sept. 3. Not all of the protestors are intending to get arrested, but expect hundreds more to serve some time in the clink.
Protest ringleader Bill McKibben (who’s also a Grist board member) explains, “This will be the largest civil-disobedience protest certainly in the history of the climate movement, and really one of the biggest things of its kind to happen in a very, very long time.” One woman who plans to get arrested confesses, “I’m scared out of my mind … it’s just something that feels like is has to be done.”
Check out this video about the training and the first day of protests and arrests. And find out how you can protest or donate to the cause at TarSandsAction.org.
