You’re looking at Middlebury’s Schumann Distinguished Scholar and Director of fellowships in Environmental Journalism Bill McKibben. McKibben is being arrested for his participation in a protest with a group called Tar Sands Action which is conducting a two week sit-in at the White House urging the POTUS not to permit a new oil pipeline. The group vehemently opposes the effects that dirty energy has on the environment and indigenous people.
Here’s the latest update from their website:
“Bill McKibben just phoned with his one call from jail to report that despite the heat, everyone arrested today was in good spirits. “This was a powerful day,” Bill said. From what we’re hearing, the group is now being taken to central booking. There have been no confirmations yet about the amount of time that people arrested will be spending in jail, but our legal team will be putting out official updates as we get more confirmed information. From Bill and the whole team today, thank you to all the messages of support and prayers that you all are offering.”
Over 70 people have been arrested for their civil disobedience. For our part, it’s nice to know we have professors with the guts to walk the walk. Someone who is intelligent enough to know the legal consequences of their activism, but passionate enough not to care should always have a place in ‘Cac classrooms.
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