On Friday, for second time in less than 3 months, a Skagit County jury refused to convict climate activists of a crime that they openly admitted to. The six defendants had blockaded the train tracks into the Anacortes refineries for 36 hours as part of the global Break Free from Fossil Fuels mobilization in May 2016; they were charged with criminal trespass in the second degree.
Last week, six people were tried for misdemeanor criminal trespass in the second degree in Skagit County District Court, Mt. Vernon, WA. Their “crime” was to have taken part in an oil train blockade as part of the Break Free mobilization of May 2016.
Anacortes, WA: Early this morning, police raided the Break Free blockade of the train tracks outside of Anacortes, WA, where activists had created an encampment of 150+ people.
Minutes ago, dozens of people began setting up a camp on the tracks near Tesoro and Shell’s March Point refineries near Anacortes. The group is setting up tents and building temporary structures; they say they intend to stay, blocking the flow of oil at the refineries for as long as possible.
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The urgency of the climate crisis demands a passionate and resolute response. Over three days next month, we’ll put our bodies on the line to stop the flow of oil into and out of the March Point refineries.
The Shell and Tesoro refineries near Anacortes, WA refine 47% of all the gas and diesel consumed in the NW, and are the largest source of carbon emissions in the Northwest; they are an integral part of the system we must change—within years, not decade
