Category Archives: Stop Oil Trains Week of Action #StopOilTrains

Crude By Rail, Stop Oil Trains Week of Action #StopOilTrains, Take Action

2015 Stop Oil Trains Week of Action Roundup

Repost from ForestEthics
[Editor:  Nice summary here.  Lots more photos and details at ForestEthics.org and on Facebook and Flicker.  ALSO, see excellent coverage onTar Sands Solutions Network: 100 Actions, 5,000 people: Biggest oil trains protest in history.  – RS]

2015 Stop Oil Trains Week of Action Roundup

'Lions Park, Mount Vernon. July 9, 2015. (Photo/Wendelin Dunlap) Images provided by Alex Ramel'
Lions Park, Mount Vernon. July 9, 2015. (Photo/Wendelin Dunlap) Images provided by Alex Ramel — at Lions Park.

The 2015 Stop Oil Trains week of action marked the second anniversary of the fatal Lac-Mégantic, Quebec oil train disaster. This year 5,000 citizens gathered in 100 cities and towns across the US and Canada to demand a ban on these dirty, exploding trains.

To see ALL pictures from the week of action check out our Flickr Group – http://bit.ly/Flickr_StopOilTrain

Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refiney project protest. San Luis Obispo, CA. July 11, 2015. Keynote speakers: San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx; Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal (Photo/Andrew Christie) — in San Luis Obispo, California.

Highlights

ForestEthics's photo.
In Ventura, California.

Highlights from the week of action are too numerous to count. National press coverage included pieces in MSNBC, Democracy Now, EcoWatch, The Hill, AP, & VICE – alongside dozens upon dozens of local print, TV, and radio pieces.

In Lac-Mégantic, the week started with a beautiful, bold, and somber march that drew hundreds of people to the tracks. The week continued with a banner hang and guerrilla projection actions in California, powerful infrastructure blockades in New York and Oregon, creative rallies in Albany, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Richmond (VA), Minneapolis, and DC – just to name a few. Then this weekend, action picked up with a jazz funeral procession in Philadelphia and a die-in in Seattle. On Saturday, thousands attended coordinated protests across California – including rallies that drew hundreds each in San Luis Obispo, Richmond, Los Angeles and San Jose – to call on decision makers across the state to reject new oil train infrastructure proposals and shut down existing operations. There are countless more to name, and every action had an impact, from gatherings of 5 to 500. No matter where or how you participated, you were a part of something extraordinary.

'Oil Train Die In. As the gates to Safeco Field opened for the Mariners vs. Angels game, thousands of fans streamed past a rally held near Century Link Field in protest of oil trains that pass the stadiums on a daily basis. Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant spoke at the rally and joined the demonstration as they marched from Century Link to Safeco in a silent procession holding photos and names of the 47 people who died in Lac-Mégantic Quebec during an oil train explosion in 2013. Safeco Field and Century Link Field both sit within 200 yards of a rail line that sees several trains pulling the same Baaken Crude that exploded in Lac-Mégantic. The same rails carry Baaken laden trains through a tunnel that sit directly beneath downtown Seattle, including the King County Administration Building, Benaroya Hall, and Pike Place Market, not to mention several hotels and businesses and the thousands of people downtown at any given moment. Write Up on The Dignity Virus thedignityvirus.com/2015/07/11/activists-stage-die-in-in-... (Photo/Jeff Snyder) Images provided by Carlo Voli.'
OIL TRAIN DIE IN – As the gates to Safeco Field opened for the Mariners vs. Angels game, thousands of fans streamed past a rally held near Century Link Field in protest of oil trains that pass the stadiums on a daily basis. Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant spoke at the rally and joined the demonstration as they marched from Century Link to Safeco in a silent procession holding photos and names of the 47 people who died in Lac-Mégantic Quebec during an oil train explosion in 2013…. Safeco Field and Century Link Field both sit within 200 yards of a rail line that sees several trains pulling the same Baaken Crude that exploded in Lac-Mégantic. The same rails carry Baaken laden trains through a tunnel that sit directly beneath downtown Seattle, including the King County Administration Building, Benaroya Hall, and Pike Place Market, not to mention several hotels and businesses and the thousands of people downtown at any given moment. Write Up on The Dignity Virus thedignityvirus.com/2015/07/11/activists-stage-die-in-in-… (Photo/Jeff Snyder) Images provided by Carlo Voli.’
Bakken Crude, Benicia-Martinez rail bridge, Crude By Rail, Derailment, Stop Oil Trains Week of Action #StopOilTrains, Take Action

Arrests in Martinez as Californians demonstrate against oil trains

Repost from Bay Area Indymedia
[This belated report has nothing new on the arrests on our bridge, but it shows some good pics of the Stop Oil Trains protest in San Jose.  – RS]

Arrests in Martinez as Californians demonstrate against oil trains

By R. Robertson , Jul 14th, 2015 6:22 PM
Police arrested four Bay Area protesters after they suspended themselves from the Benicia-Martinez railroad bridge to hang a banner protesting oil trains. Photos here are of the protest in San Jose, California. Both protests were part of a week of action against oil trains.
Police arrested four Bay Area protesters after they suspended themselves from the Benicia-Martinez railroad bridge to hang a banner protesting oil trains last week.
800_350sanjosebeststn.jpg original image ( 3264x2448)
Raging Grannies – NO MORE EXPLODING OIL TRAINS!

Elsewhere in California, Raging Grannies in Davis and San Jose enlivened protests there singing out, ”No more exploding trains”.

Oil trains go through almost every US state, disproportionately over poorer American communities. The crude oil moving by train is more toxic, explosive, and carbon intensive than conventional oil. It puts millions of Americans and Canadians at risk. Last week there were more than 80 protests and educational events in North America about this danger.

The Lac-Mégantic rail disaster happened July 6, 2013, when a freight train carrying Bakken formation crude oil rolled downhill and derailed, resulting in the fire and explosion of multiple tank cars. Forty-seven people died and many others injured. Last week’s events were timed to coincide with the anniversary of that catastrophe.

 

Stop Oil Trains Week of Action #StopOilTrains

Rally to Stop Oil Trains in Richmond, California, Saturday, July 11

Repost from Stop Oil Trains Week of Action July 6-11

Rally to Stop Oil Trains in Richmond, California, Saturday, July 11, 2015 – 11am in Atchison Village Park

Richmond_action_flyer

In Richmond, the fight against crude by rail is the latest example of the fossil fuel industry’s blatant disregard for the climate and the health and safety of communities of color. We know we don’t need this toxic and explosive extreme oil – already, our communities are building solutions for climate resilience and social justice. Together, we demand an end to extreme fossil fuels as we usher in a just transition to a clean, equitable, and thriving economy for all.

This summer, the fight against oil trains is heating up across the Bay Area, California, and North America. Richmond is on the front lines of two major oil train fights: first, environmental justice leaders have been fighting to shut down the illegal Kinder Morgan oil trains terminal, which was permitted behind the backs of the community. In addition, the proposed Phillips 66 oil trains terminal in San Luis Obispo County would bring an additional 2.5 million gallons of toxic, explosive tar sands oil daily through the city. Already, the climate justice movement in Richmond and beyond have been stepping up to fight both projects. Now is the time to turn up the heat.

This July marks both the height of the Summer of Our Power and the second annual Stop Oil Trains Week of Action that commemorates the second anniversary of the tragic Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, oil train catastrophe that killed 47 people.

That’s why On Saturday, July 11th, a coalition of environmental justice, labor, climate, and community groups will mobilize thousands of people to stop oil trains in Richmond, as part of the Summer of Our Power and the national Stop Oil Trains Week of Action.

Benicia-Martinez rail bridge, Crude By Rail, Stop Oil Trains Week of Action #StopOilTrains, Take Action

News from our friend Ethan Buckner, arrested for bold action on Benicia-Martinez Bridge

Repost from Facebook ethan.buckner
[Editor:  See also the news account: Four arrested after midair oil-train protest at Benicia Bridge.  – RS]


By Ethan Buckner, July 7 at 2:43pm

Finally released and safe at home after 24 hours in custody (20 without food or water) at the Contra Costa Jail.

Yesterday morning, the courageous Emily Heffling and I repelled off the George Miller Bridge, 150 ft over the beautiful Carquinez Strait. The two of us, along with Charlie and Jay, were arrested attempting to hang a 2400 sq-foot banner to amplify the struggle of communities across North America fighting toxic, dangerous, and climate-killing oil trains.

Our banner …hang attempt fell on the two year anniversary of the oil train explosion that killed 47 people and incinerated the downtown of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, a date that both marks unfathomable tragedy and the emergence of resistance.  This week, 80+ communities are organizing marches, rallies, forums, blockades, and other creative protests for the second Stop Oil Trains Week of Action.

Right behind us as we repelled down was a rail bridge along a route big oil companies want to use to import millions of gallons of toxic, explosive crude oil each day into the Bay Area and beyond, mostly through communities of color already overburdened by toxic pollution. As part of the week of action, we’ll take to the streets in Richmond this Saturday to demand an end to oil by rail and the emergence of a just, clean, regenerative energy economy.

Though I am absolutely disappointed that we weren’t able to fully deploy the banner, I am grateful for and recurringly inspired by the love, energy, and strength of our movement. Many thanks to all who contributed to this effort, who continue to fight for our health, safety, and climate every day, and to everyone who rallied all night last night and this morning to help the four of us get out of jail.

There is so much to learn from yesterday’s events, and much yet to come, but the bottom line is that I am riding the crest of the wave of our movement, and we will continue to grow and fight and win.

Onward!