Hannah, Hansen arrested in mountaintop removal protest
June 23, 2009 ·
Actress Daryl Hannah, NASA climatologist Dr. James Hansen and former Congressman Ken Hechler were arrested Tuesday during a protest at a Massey Energy site in Raleigh County today.
A total of 32 people were arrested, according to State Police – 31 protesters for sitting in the middle of the road, and one woman for alleged battery on Julia Bonds, co-director of the environmental group Coal River Mountain Watch.
Hannah and most other protesters was processed at the Whitesville State Police detachment and released. She was seen shortly after the protests taking photos outside the detachment.
An estimated 400 people were at the protest, the latest in a string of against mountaintop removal mining. They were divided relatively evenly between mine supporters and opponents.
A group of mining supporters, dressed in mine uniforms, blocked the road that protestors planned to use to get to Massey Energy property.
So protesters sat down in the road and were arrested there.
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| Daryl Hannah is arrested at Marsh Fork |
One woman, dressed in a mine uniform, was arrested and charged with battery of Bonds after allegedly hitting her, according to State Trooper Mike Smith.
Tensions were high throughout the afternoon, with mine supporters shouting “Go home outsiders!” and “Leave our jobs alone.”
The site is a few hundred feet from Marsh Fork Elementary, which has been a focus for previous protests.