Nearby, a rally of over 20 people gathered to show support for the protest.

This action came on the anniversary of the start of the Yellow Finch treesits which stopped the destruction of the last stand of trees in the pipeline’s way for over 2 1/2 years! MVP is now over 5 years past their goal in-service date of 2018 and are billions over budget.

One protestor who locked to equipment said: "For me, blocking construction on MVP is joyful militancy. It is feeling the expansive power of disrupting capitalistic extraction and protecting the mountains and waterways that began their formation a billion years ago.
This protester references the book "Joyful Militancy" by Nick Montgomery and Carla Bergman. The book explains, "Joyful militancy, then, is a fierce commitment to emergent forms of life in the cracks of Empire, and the values, responsibilities, and questions that sustain them."

A banner at the site read: "STOP COP CITY NO MVP." The phrase "Stop Cop City" is a slogan used by a nationwide movement against the construction of a militarized police training facility, dubbed "Cop City," on 381 acres of urban forest in southeast Atlanta.

The movement to stop MVP parallels the movement to stop cop city. Both projects have been pushed through by politicians who bow down to corporations against the pleas of their constituents. Both projects inflict violence against local communities and worsen the climate crisis.

After being extracted and arrested today, climate protectors face $2000 and $3000 bail. At the rally, 1 person was cited for trespassing after moving to where police instructed & 2 people received traffic violations for stopping briefly in a public road to load/unload passengers.

Editors Note: I was at one of the camps for about 5 days prior to this protest. What I can say about this group is that they are incredibly passionate, imaginative and powerful. Although their method of organizing is quite different than Extinction Rebellion or #A22Network, I’d still say that folks can gain some invaluable experiences and friendships by making the time to visit and participate in these actions. Not to mention, it is working. Just like Stop Cop City campaign is working.

Join the Summer of Heat in NYC

The clock is ticking. That’s why The Summer of Heat, is taking joyful, relentless nonviolent direct action to end fossil fuel financing. Wall Street is bankrolling the coal, oil and gas companies that are polluting our communities and killing our planet. The Summer of Heat is set on stopping them. The Summer of Heat is going hard all summer long. Week after week. Month after month. The Summer of Heat is taking the party to the streets and won't stop.

Join the March on the DNC in Chicago

We are a coalition of organizations bringing our demands to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024!

• 12PM Monday August 19 - Union Park 1501 W. Randolph St
• 5PM Thursday August 22 - Union Park 1501 W. Randolph St