Tennessee Coal Road Blocked to Protest Mountaintop Removal Mining

[struggle4progress]

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, August 15, 2005 (ENS) - Nine people have been arrested in the first direct action protest against mountaintop removal mining ever held in the United States. Before dawn this morning protesters blockaded a road to National Coal's strip mine in Campbell County, Tennessee to halt the destruction of Zeb Mountain.

Mountaintop mining practices involve removing the tops and sides off mountains with explosives and heavy equipment to access thin seams of coal. Millions of tons of waste rock, dirt, and vegetation are dumped into valleys and streams below, destroying the ecosystem and disrupting nearby communities.

Activists affiliated with MountainJusticeSummer.org and Katuah Earth First! blocked the road to the mine by removing the wheels from one of their cars. Two people locked themselves to the vehicle with lockboxes imbedded in cement pillars.

Other activists put up a tripod between the car and the company's gate and another activist suspended himself from the tripod. "Road Closed” signs were erected and flares shot up into the sky announcing their presence. <snip>

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2005/2005-08-15-05.asp

[phantom power]

1. sounds like the authorities played it pretty rough with them.

From inside the Caryville jail, an activists locked down to the car at the front gate said police officers injured her and several other activists during the arrests.

"The car was moved to the side of the road while I was still attached, smashing the lockboxes imbedded in cement pillars against my arms - I have bruises all over my arms," said Sarah Shapero. "Cars then drove past me, coming within six inches of my body as I was still locked down to the car. One officer stood behind me and others stood apart joking."

"The police endangered Ian Burton by pushing the 30-foot-high tripod over while he was locked in it and it fell on his knee, injuring him," she said from within the jail.

"Daniel Lee was repeatedly kicked in the stomach while supporting Ian Burton. Pain compliance holds were used on Brian Wallin while he was locked to the blockade," she said.

[struggle4progress]

2. Too many agents of the state consider protection of property more ..

.. important than protection of people ...

[Southpaw Bookworm]

3. Considering the history

Of coal companies using local and state law enforcement and the U.S. military as their private security force, are we particularly surprised?

[struggle4progress]

4. Yep. Matewan, Ludlow, Harlan County ...

Of course, in Matewan the coal thugs simply pretended to be the law, and Sid Hatfield stood up to them, before they killed him.