The week of actions around Break Free from fossil fuels began in Philly with the Right to Breathe mobilization on Saturday May 7th. If you missed it, you must see it storyboarded here, just to see the giant sunflowers and the hundreds of people who participated. A Huffington Post piece explains the action quite well. Our Right to Breathe action was also reported on by Democracy Now.

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Two days later, the People’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force claimed eminent domain by forming a human pipeline at an industry conference. See the press release from this action, a video documenting this, and media coverage by Penn Live. Online, this action was seen by almost 10,000 people.

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To give you a bit of history… Having seen gas pipeline projects tear apart the Pennsylvania countryside, digging thru private property, oftentimes farmland and preserved green spaces, blatantly ignoring the protests of rural citizens, and all behind the shield of eminent domain, the People formed the People’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force, and had disrupted the Governor’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force meeting in January, documented on this video. As you’ll see from the video, some People were arrested when they tried to state our perspective, and still need help paying for the ensuing fines & legal fees.

The People’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force tactic of creating a human pipeline was used later in the week at another Break Free action in Washington DC.

Later, several members of the People’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force joined up with friends at Earth Quaker Action Team for their action outside the PECO headquarters, which was reported on by the Metro and Newsworks.

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A report by the Guardian deems the Break Free protests against fossil fuel expansion were the largest ever global disobedience. I think we’re all heartened to be in the company of people on the side of truth.

Coming up next, a Town Hall Meeting on Oil Refinery Expansion. It’s on Thursday, May 19th at 7pm at Kingkessing Park, 4901 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143. For details and to join the online discussion, see this. 

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