28 activists and 2 journalists aboard the Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise have been taken into custody in Russia and charged with piracy for attempting to board a Gazprom drilling rig. Read the NYT article here for details.
Greenpeace has asked climate activists worldwide to hold vigils for the prisoners today, October 5. Please join 350 Seattle at 6:15pm Saturday evening at piers 62/63 on the downtown waterfront (a bit north of the Aquarium) for a one-hour candlelight vigil (we won’t ask you to stay all night….that was last year)–for the prisoners, and also in honor of the critical work of fighting arctic oil exploration. Local activist Chris Eaton spent a month on the Greenpeace Esperanza last summer as it monitored Shell’s ill-fated drilling rigs, and sailed with the jailed 2nd mate; he’ll talk about that experience. We’ll have a few banners; please bring your own candle (ideally one in glass, in case of wind) if you can!
Brief Arctic fact sheet for the event.
Excellent Bill Moyers interview with Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo last week here.
