The tree blockade outside Winnsboro, Texas has successfully held it’s steadfast position in the pathway of Keystone XL for one entire month! Today’s milestone reminds us that everyday has been a story of perseverance in the face of mounting odds. Below is a day-by-day account of the blockade’s sustained resistance to the tar sands over the last month.
On September 24th eight brave blockaders climbed into 80-foot trees and refused to come down until the tar sands pipeline was stopped for good. Today two blockaders remain as the others have been arrested or escaped to help organize the growing campaign across the region.
During the last month TransCanada has tried everything to deter us from doing what we know is right. They’ve encouraged police to use torture tactics, operated heavy machinery dangerously close to peaceful protestors, confiscated our cameras, hit us with a SLAPP law suit, hired local law enforcement to set up a police state around the blockade, denied us food and water, arrested journalists, subjected blockades to 24/7 surveillance and floodlights….the list goes on.
Despite this barrage of repression, last week we held our biggest action yet when over 50 people bravely defied TransCanada’s police state and entered the tree blockade to supply our friends with essential food and water. After eight arrests we shut down construction operations at the site for the entire day and managed to get some more supplies to our friends in the trees. Demonstrate your support with a generous donation for additional supplies.
Our movement has continued to grow with the pledged solidarity of over 40 organizations, major press coverage in New York Times, Washington Post, Fort Worth Weekly, LA Times and solidarity actions springing up across the country.
Today it appears TransCanada is planning to circumvent its original easement contract and build its toxic pipeline around the west side of the tree blockade. The two remaining tree blockaders have made it clear that they have no intention of coming down yet. They wish to remain in the path of Keystone XL’s destruction long enough for their actions to strategically prevent its construction and demonstrate to the world the threat of this dirty, dangerous pipeline to our communities.
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Day 1 – Monday, Sept. 24: Eight people climb 80 feet into trees near Winnsboro, Texas and blockaders have pledged not to come down until the pipeline is stopped for good. Blockaders unfurl a banner saying, “You Shall Not Pass!” in the path of Keystone XL construction.
“Today I climbed a tree in the path of Keystone XL to demand TransCanada stop construction of this dirty and dangerous pipeline. This pipeline is a disaster for everyone it touches, from the cancer tar sands extraction is causing indigenous communities, to the water poisoned by inevitable tar sands spills, to the landowners whose land has been seized, and to everyone that will be affected by climate change,” said Mary Washington, one of the Tar Sands Blockade members sitting in a tree.
The same day, TransCanada unloads machinery and begins clear-cutting toward the blockade. One piece of heavy machinery was found flipped over less than a day into clear-cutting.
Day 2 – Tuesday, Sept. 25: Shannon Beebe and Benjamin Franklin lock themselves to a piece of heavy machinery to prevent it from reaching to the tree blockade. Under the active encouragement from TransCanada local police employ torture tactics on both peaceful protestors. They twist and contort the tube that the blockaders had locked their arms into, cutting off circulation to their hands and cutting abrasions into their hands and forearms. Police discharge pepper spray into their lockdown tube, and the chemicals burn their already-open wounds. Despite the immense pain, our brave blockaders remain locked to the machinery for several hours–determined to stop this toxic tar sands pipeline. Both protestors are then tased by police officers and congratulated on a “job well done” by TransCanada’s senior supervisors. Shannon and Benjamin are eventually removed and arrested when it is clear that TransCanada is willing to do whatever it takes to increase pain levels to physically unbearable levels.
Day 3 – Wednesday, Sept. 26: Another joins the tree village in protest of torture tactics against fellow protestors. Blockaders stop clear-cutting machinery, or feller bunchers, and a TransCanada worker refuses to turn off his machine in accordance with federal safety regulations. TransCanada’s machinery operators drop trees dangerously close to blockaders, endangering their lives.
Day 4 – Thursday, Sept. 27: Blockaders continue to stop some clear-cutting machines, and TransCanada workers continue to disregard federal safety regulations in full view of TransCanada supervisors who simply watch with video cameras. Other feller bunchers cut as close as 20 feet to the blockade.
Day 5 – Friday, Sept. 28: Helicopters circle the blockade as sheriffs and private security walk around the site. TransCanada operates heavy machinery 60 feet away from the tree blockade. Bulldozers begin plowing a driveway up to the tree blockade, creating vibrations that shake all the blockaders in the trees. Multiple sheriffs arrive on four-wheelers for security lockdown.
Over 20,000 sign a petition sponsored by national allies in 24-hours, denouncing police violence against the protestors.
Day 6 – Saturday, Sept. 29: Workers arrive on site with police in the morning and begin clear-cutting trees. As folks in the trees endure rain, blockaders on the ground force a clear-cutting machine approaching the tree blockade to shut down its engine. They get in the way of machines throughout the day. Clear-cutting machinery then retreats, thanks to the efforts of the blockaders.
Day 7 – Sunday, Sept. 30: A 36-hour rainfall stops, and a petition to stop violent acts on blockaders is signed by 73,000 people.
Day 8 – Monday, Oct. 1: Alejandro de la Torre locks himself to an underground capsule in the pathway of the Keystone XL clear-cut to defend a family farm. He states, “I’m here to stand up for people on the front lines because they’re being trampled to make way for corporate profits.” Police cover him with a tarp so no one can see how they are removing him and confiscate cameras from bystanders on private property. Alejandro is removed and arrested for helping to save a family farm; his bail set at $10,000.
TransCanada machines are cutting dangerously close to the tree blockade again, swinging felled trees like a bat at scaffolding ropes. The situation then de-escalates when TransCanada machines start cutting to the west side of the wall, which is outside the designated pipeline easement.
Day 9 – Tuesday, Oct. 2: Maggie Gorry climbs atop a 40-foot pole in the middle of the Keystone XL clear cut near the tree blockade. She stops construction for the day as floodlights are pointed at her all night when TransCanada implements its 24-hour security. Alejandro de la Torre is released from jail.
Day 10 – Wednesday, Oct. 3: Maggie stays strong for the second day in a row and delays clear-cutting at the tree blockade. Workers use chainsaws and wood chippers chewing up felled wood near the tree blockade leaving a barren landscape behind. TransCanada continues 24-hour security measures. Police presence increases with off-duty officers being paid as TransCanada security at $30 per hour.
Day 11 – Thursday, Oct 4: Maggie descends her pole blockade and is arrested after sitting on top and successfully blocking construction for 2 days. Tree blockaders endure 24-hour police presence, cameras, and spotlights. Maggie released from jail on $11,000 bail.
Day 12 – Friday, Oct. 5: Eleanor Fairchild, 78-year-old great-grandmother and landowner, and actress and activist Daryl Hanna are arrested on Eleanor’s land after stand in front of machinery to stop clear cutting on Fairchild Farms. Both are arrested. TransCanada charges Eleanor with criminal trespassing on her own land.
Day 13 – Saturday, Oct. 6: Two off duty police being paid by TransCanada to act as security, take a ladder off private property and climb the timber scaffolding where two freelance journalists, Elizabeth and Lorenzo, are embedded with the tree blockade. Both officials refused to identify themselves when asked for their name and badge number as they record audio and video via live stream to the web.
Day 14 – Sunday, Oct. 7: Tree blockaders observe TransCanada continuing to cut a path around the west side of the tree blockade, large enough for the pipeline.
Day 15 – Monday, Oct. 8: Occupants in the tree blockade holding strong on their platforms.
The rest of Tars Sands Blockade begins preparations for the Action Camp from October 12th-15th
Day 16 – Tuesday, Oct. 9: Elizabeth and Lorenzo, journalists who were embedded in the tree blockade, announce to the police that they were going to come down from the tree blockade just before sunset. Four camouflaged police officers emerged from the tree line and surround the timber scaffolding. Wearing his press credentials Lorenzo is arrested after climbing down and proclaims, “I’m a journalist!” Both journalists were taken off site and charged with criminal trespassing.
Day 17 – Wednesday, Oct. 10: Elizabeth and Lorenzo, live streamers and journalists, are released from jail with all charges dropped since they were representing the press.
Day 18 – Thursday, Oct. 11: Lifelong Texan, Kevin Redding, climbs a tree in a nature preserve to Stop XL Pipeline and refuses to come down. The police arrive to guard the site and escort all other ground support for him. Police then accuse Kevin of being a “terrorist” since he is “endangering a waterway.”
Two journalists from the New York Times are handcuffed and detained on private property while trying to cover the tree blockade.
Day 19 – Friday, Oct. 12: Kevin is getting comfortable in the trees and two police officers keep him company. TransCanada survey and stake out original path of the Keystone XL Pipeline through the tree blockade.
Close to 100 people begin the first day of our Direct Action Training Camp.
Day 20 – Saturday, Oct. 13: The Action Camp holds a series of workshops on direct action history and skills to build a regional network to resist fossil fuel extraction.
Day 21 – Sunday, Oct. 14: Kevin decides to descend from his tree in the Nature Preserve after TransCanada agrees to not clear cut the old growth forest and to under bore the entire preserve instead.
TransCanada continues to deny food and water to peaceful tree blockaders as the action camp wraps up its third and final day.
Day 22 – Monday, Oct. 15: Over 50 people bravely defied TransCanada’s police state and entered the tree blockade to supply our friends with essential food and water supplies. After eight arrests we shut down construction operations at the site for the entire day and managed to get a bag of supplies to our friends in the trees. TransCanada sues the blockade in a trumped up SLAPP suit.
Day 23 – Tuesday, Oct. 16: Police presence intensifies at the tree blockade in response to the mass action the day before. They bring in yet another spotlight to deprive the tree blockaders of sleep.
Texas Land Commissioner, Jerry Patterson, publishes an asinine op-ed against the Blockade in a Dallas Morning News.
Day 24 – Wednesday, Oct. 17: Blockaders arrested on Monday begin to tell their stories of how they were abused by TransCanada’s police.
“That’s when a larger man, who I later heard claim to work for the Hays County Sheriff’s Department, threw me to my stomach. He quickly moved around in front of me, placed his hands on either side of my head, and thrust his knee into my mouth. It was an intentional assault …. I was then filled with a greater rage and resolve to continue on, no matter how many thug police are set on my path.”
Two tree blockaders descend from the trees after they decide they conclude the pipeline is being built around them. TransCanada’s police tell them that they won’t be charged but immediately arrest and charge them when they reach the ground.
Day 25 – Thursday, Oct. 18: Two tree blockaders are released from jail. More blockaders describe their experience at the mass action: “I found myself scrambling onto the top of the truck and tying off a banner to the back of the rig in a blur of cops and cameras.”
Day 26 – Friday, Oct. 19: Editorial boards for multiple state-wide newspapers publish responses to Jerry Patterson’s op-ed lambasting him for being factually incorrect and generally out of touch with Texas landowners.
TransCanada takes the Keystone 1 pipeline offline amidst scrutiny from government whistleblowers.
Day 27 – Saturday, Oct. 20: The number of organizations that have signed onto Solidarity Letter of Support grows to over 40 organizations.
Day 28 – Sunday, Oct. 21: TransCanada’s helicopters continue to regularly circle the tree blockade. Blockaders continue to hold strong.
Day 29 – Monday, Oct. 22: More letters to the editor published in support of the Blockade and that blast Jerry Paterson’s “rude rant” and not representing the true values of Texas landowners.
Over 4,000 Canadians rally in Ottawa to oppose toxic tar sands as part of the Defend Our Coast actions.
Day 30 – Tuesday, Oct. 23: Our are friends are holding strong in the trees. Communication is extremely limited because of the further increase in TransCanada’s repression.
Day 31 – Wednesday, Oct. 24: One month and counting!
