30 protests so far in Week of Action against Keystone XL

Thirty-seven arrested already as more than 50 grassroots organizations take on Keystone investors.

from Tar Sands Blockade

WASHINGTON DC,  March 20, 2013 — One month after the largest climate rally in US history urged President Obama to deny the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline’s northern segment, protesters in dozens of cities throughout the U.S. are confronting KXL's corporate backers directly.  Thirty-seven have been arrested over the last ten days for disrupting business as usual at TransCanada and their investors' offices, with more are planned before the week is over.

The March 16-23 Week of Action to Stop Tar Sands Profiteers, in solidarity with Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance's Direct Action Camp in Ponca City, Oklahoma, is endorsed by more than 50 grassroots environmental organizations around the country. Organizers seek to expose green-washed corporations like TD Bank, a top shareholder in TransCanada, and force them to divest from the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

“It's encouraging to see people around the country taking action to stop tar sands profiteers,” said Ron Seifert, spokesperson for Tar Sands Blockade. “No longer will we allow them to build KXL and invest in toxic projects that endanger the health of low-income and communities of color. We will not allow “business as usual” to continue.”

Here are a few highlights from the Week of Action so far:

• 100 people occupied TransCanada's office in Westborough, MA, holding a "Funeral for Our Future" and disrupting work for several hours. Twenty-five were arrested for locking themselves inside the office.
• TD Bank branches have seen protests at multiple locations including three people who were arrested for locking themselves inside a branch office in Washington, DC.
• Twelve people arrested for blockading a fracking pipeline in upstate New York.
• Portland, Oregon held a bike tour of the city’s worst polluters including a rally at a TransCanada office. 
• Dozens of activists in grim-reaper garb surround Michels Corporate office in Kirkland, WA, demanding that Michels stop building KXL:

Check tarsandsblockade.org for live updates from actions around the country. At least 18 more actions are planned between now and Saturday, March 23rd, including six more actions against TD Bank in New York City, Washington DC, Montpellier, VT, Newark, DE, New Haven, CT, and Asheville, NC.