Coming: Tuesday, 26 Jan 2010

TENTHMIL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ERIC BLEVINS, FROM HIS TREE!

Monday, 25 Jan 2010, 5:30 pm Eastern

With a wet sleeping bag and losing blood circulation to his legs in the unforgiving cold, David Aaron Smith was forced to leave his tree platform on Coal River Mountain, mid morning on Monday.  Two other activists from Climate Ground Zero remain in their perches, about sixty feet above ground.  Smith held out for about four and a half days before the incessant wet weather penetrated his shelter, compromising his survival gear.

(Smith was taken away by state troopers.  Photo:  CGZ)

Smith was apprehended by Massey’s security personnel, before being taken into custody and transported by West Virginia state troopers, said CGZ leader Mike Roselle.

Despite the harsh weather and the relentless tactics by Marfork mine employees to induce fatigue, Amber Nitchman and Eric Blevins are still hanging tough on their platforms.  The tree sitters have endured air raid sirens and bright lights, aimed to keep them constantly awake.  Marfork even attempted to jostle Nitchman’s platform by tying ropes to flexible saplings nearby, pulling them back and releasing them, “whiplashing them towards her.” 

(Photo:  CGZ)

 

But “spirits are really high,” said Roselle.   

Climate Ground Zero alerted the police to these acts of reckless endangerment, but CGZ said that “they’ve not been taking it seriously.”

Meanwhile, the second arrested ground supporter, Isabelle Rozendaal, was released from jail.

(View of the area from above.  Photos:  Google Earth, CGZ)

 

Friday, 22 Jan 2010, 3:00 pm Eastern

Josh Graupera, an activist with Climate Ground Zero supporting the Coal River Mountain tree sitters, was released from jail around 3:00 eastern today. 

However, Isabelle Rozendaal is still waiting to make bail of $1500.  Climate Ground Zero is taking donations…go there now and hit the orange legal button in the upper right corner!

(Josh Graupera.  Photo:  Maria Ozmen via Facebook.)

 

The two were on the ground providing logistical and communication support to the three tree sitters on Coal River Mountain until about 11:30 am when they were arrested.  Graupera was held in general population for about 24 hours before he made bail, but he said that Rozendaal is waiting to see if her bail will be reduced.

 
(Isabelle Rozendaal.  Photo:  Courtesy of Isabelle Rozendaal via Facebook.)

 

Friday, 22 Jan 2010, 9:00 am Eastern

The three tree-sitters who yesterday stopped a Massey Energy coal mining operation on Coal River Mountain, are still up there.

They are all doing well, cold and wet, but still chugging.

says Climate Ground Zero, the group that is supporting the demonstration.

The sitters dropped banners yesterday saying “EPA Stop the Blasting,” “Save Coal River Mountain,” and “Windmills not Toxic Spills.” 

Massey personnel have surrounded the tree sitters, said Mike Roselle, CGZ’s campaign director.  Roselle noted that Massey has augmented its instruments of harassment since the last of such confrontations—they are now using high powered air raid sirens, instead of simple air horns.  Despite the piercing whines and spotlights designed to keep them awake, the protestors are determined to stay put for as long as they can. 

A cherry picker was moving in to remove the protestors, but after CGZ threatened to appear in court today for a temporary restraining order, Massey backed the machine off.  Supposedly, Massey had felled trees outside the bounds of its permit to make way for the cherry picker, a violation which the Department of Environmental Protection could confirm with a boundary inspection.

Two other demonstrators, who were providing logistical and communications support on the ground, were arrested yesterday.  They are currently being held on $1500 bail, but will probably be released on their own recognizance.  “It’s very difficult for us to send support back out there now,” said Roselle, ” because they’ve got all the accesses blocked off.”

Massey made a routine statement, saying that the protestor are endangering themselves and the miners.

 

Hear Eric Blevins speak to Democracy Now from his post (fast forward to 7:00).