A note from NC WARN’s Pete MacDowell about the rally:
On Saturday, International 350 Action Day, NC WARN, Greenpeace and other allies held a strong March for Climate Leadership in Raleigh.
Thanks to all who attended despite the rain. We’re building pressure to save our climate, stop Cliffside, and hold our leaders accountable.
Special thanks to the six courageous and disciplined folks who were arrested in an act of peaceful civil resistance at the governor’s mansion, calling for Gov. Perdue to enforce the Clean Air Act and cancel construction of Duke Energy’s Cliffside power plant:
Jean Larson
John Allen
Keval Khalsa
Avram Friedman
Dick Paddock
Jim Warren
They were charged with trespassing and later released from the Wake County jail. Trial date is set for December 9th.
As our friend Avram Friedman of the Canary Coalition said: “Like an undisciplined and spoiled child, used to getting whatever it wants … Duke Energy stamps its feet and demands … [this] utterly unnecessary and wasteful power plant at Cliffside so it can sell more energy to increase its profits by expanding its area of monopoly into new territories.”
Also thanks for those who helped and supported the civil disobedience plan: Mandy Carter, Russell Herman, Patrick O’Neil, Lib Hutchby, and Mary DeCoster. And to our legal observer, Brandi Jones from UNC Law School’s National Lawyer’s Guild chapter, and Jennie Renner-Yeomans for her work with the media.
And many thanks to our great climate action partners in this protest, John Deans of Greenpeace and Russ Anderson of Southern Energy Network for their help in pulling this together and leading it.
Finally, we thank the Capital Police for their professional behavior in peacefully and respectfully arresting the six.
When the Governor and government are not responsive and accountable on Cliffside and climate change, democracy requires direct action citizenship.
Pete MacDowell
NC WARN