Hundreds of indigenous people from California and across the country gathered with a crowd of over 4,000 activists at the capitol building in Sacramento on March 15th. They demanded that Governor Brown ban fracking, the environmentally destructive oil extraction practice that pollutes groundwater, rivers and oceans.

Fracking, another name for hydrofacturing, is a method of oil and gas production that involves blasting millions of gallons of water, mixed with sand and toxic chemicals, under high pressure deep into the earth to extract oil and gas. At the same time it often pollutes local air and water, endangering the lives of people and wildlife.

The event, organized by Californians Against Fracking, featured diverse speakers including environmental justice advocates, farmers, student activists and other groups opposed to fracking. Hundreds of organizations, ranging from grassroots groups to large NGOs, helped to organized the rally. A march around the capitol building with signs raised high and much cheering followed the rally.

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See Also: Fracking Opponents Should Oppose Peripheral Tunnels || Fracking Boom Would Increase California's Earthquake Dangers