top
San Francisco
San Francisco
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Bay Area Activists Prepare for Direct Action to Stop Keystone XL Pipeline

by Alex Darocy
On March 23, activists from across the Bay Area who want to stop the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline converged on the Federal Building in San Francisco to hold group civil disobedience training exercises.
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-1.jpg
The day began with an Idle No More Round Dance. Activists acknowledged they were on Ohlone land, and offered prayers, then individuals spoke about Idle No More and began the dance, which was followed by a singing of the American Indian Movement anthem.

Later, approximately 200-300 people were in attendance for the direct action training. The large group broke into four smaller groups, with each essentially conducting the same training exercises.

Individuals practiced interlocking arms as a method of holding physical ground, and role-playing exercises were held in preparation for close contact with the police.

Activists with previous experience in nonviolent direct action led the training exercises and were available to answer questions from those who had not participated in such actions before.

For example, trainers suggested appealing to police officers on a human level when contacted, to communicate directly about the purpose of the action and how it affects all of humanity, and to look the authorities straight in the eyes.

At the same time, trainers explained that police are often heavily outfitted with gear, and when one woman asked what to do if officers were wearing helmets with shields that covered their faces, one trainer said, "look to where their eyes should be," in order to speak directly to them.

Where and when the direct action aimed at stopping the completion of the XL Keystone pipeline project will occur has yet to be announced, but San Francisco Police weren't taking any chances with the large crowd; there were at least two to three dozen officers on hand at the federal building, and nearby, for the training exercises.

Organizers were listed as Bay Area 350.org, Tar Sands Blockade, Idle No More, and Rising Tide S.F., and together they released the following statement, which explains why they think direct action is necessary at this point:

"We have written letters, made phone calls, educated ourselves and others, demonstrated in the tens of thousands, participated in Idle No More flash mobs, and been arrested at the White House as we push President Obama to stop the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline. Yet we have no sign that Obama will walk his climate talk and reject the pipeline. Additionally a 'deeply flawed' State Department environmental report indicates approval may be likely. It's time to organize ourselves to take nonviolent direct action where we live and to raise the social and political cost for approving what James Hansen calls "Game Over" for the climate. This training is part of the Tar Sands Blockade week of Action."


For more information about Bay Area 350.org, See:
http://www.350bayarea.org/


Alex Darocy
http://alexdarocy.blogspot.com/
§
by Alex Darocy
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-3.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-4.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-federal-building-march-23-2013-5.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-6.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-7.jpg
§Please Honor This Non-Violent Code
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-8.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-9.jpg
§Agenda
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-10.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-11.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-12.jpg
§Brainstorming
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-13.jpg
§Brainstorming
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-14.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-15.jpg
§Testing the strength
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-16.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-17.jpg
§Group Photo
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-18.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-19.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-20.jpg
§Hey, Big Oil, Go Frack Yourself!
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-21.jpg
Hey, Big Oil, Go Frack Yourself!
§XL Keystone Direct Action Training
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-22.jpg
XL Keystone Direct Action Training
§XL Keystone Direct Action Training
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-23.jpg
XL Keystone Direct Action Training
§SFPD - XL Keystone Direct Action Training
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-24.jpg
SFPD - XL Keystone Direct Action Training
§SFPD - XL Keystone Direct Action Training
by Alex Darocy
xl-keystone-direct-action-training-san-francisco-march-23-2013-25.jpg
SFPD - XL Keystone Direct Action Training
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Union Jack
The Canadian Tar Sands Project is destroying the air, land, and water with pollution toxic poisoning, all against the 1982 Canadian Law that requires the Canadian Government to reach collective agree with the First Nations of Canada before moving forward with any project that will affect their Treaty lands, and the ecological organic balances of the air, land and water.

In other words this project and the XL Pipeline is a project that is not only polluting the air, land, and water ,but also disrespecting the Canadian Constitution. It is against the laws of the Canadian People.

The Harper Federal Regime was elected on May 2nd 2011 for a term of four years. He and his neo-cons received exactly 23.4% of the eligible vote in Canada. That is not a majority. However the Liberal-Conservative Gerrymandering of the Political Arrangements amongst themselves (they are the only governments to rule in Federal Canadian Elections) has resulted in the 'big lie' that 23.4% of the eligible vote gives them the authority to make 100% of the Federal laws in Canada.

That is what the Canadian people are forming to change the system and bring about a new economics, cultural, ecological, judicial, and religious authority. To do this requires that the marginalized majority of 76.6% who either voted against him or have quit voting all together as they are so disgusted with the lies and betrayal of Canada's freedom and independence that they vow not to vote again for such Aggressive warmongering and pollution causing governance again.

I am personally thankful to the Arab Peoples for their scientific gift of Arithmetic because if give a truthful assessment of the actual class struggle in Canada. We all know Harper lies because we all know that 23.4% of the vote is not a majority, as it leaves out the 76.6% that sought not to elect him or his regime.

Harper has closed and practices vicious austerity against the Canadian peoples, such as cutting the funding for the forty women's centres that were organized and worked by the women themselves. He cuts the Artistic Community, the scientists that found their their research that the burning of Coal, Gas, Oil and atomic energy is destroying the living organic web-of-life of our planet and especially in the tender Arctic regions and waterways across Canada. Behind the scenes and behind closed doors he makes deals with the United North American Monopolies which are assaulting the Environment and polluting for money.

He when to COP 15 for the last day and said the activists make no difference and their laws on the environment will be nullified by his regime. He cancelled Canada's membership in the Kyoto Accords and is actively organizi;ng to bring in the U.S. Canadian, and Revisionist ChineseTar Sands and XL Pipeline to Texas, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline to the West Coast and all this against the organized labour movement, (CLC , CUPE and the Public Service alliance etc.) first Nations, and the environmental activists such as the Council of Canadians, the NDP social democratic party, as well as the Sierra Club and the socialist and communist movements.
by Zachary RunningWolf (runningwolf.zachary [at] yahoo.com)
The best Direct Action is to Stop Driving (org) Global Warming not only do you stand against the XL pipeline but you make a stance against every oil company. By making this stance you also stand against the Auto industry who is foot dragging on Alternative energies or Mass transit. Lets not make the mistake of just killing our Mother Earth slowly and stop this Madness all together. Stop having your cake and eating it.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network