Banners raised over Syncrude’s poisonous tailings pond
Greenpeace Canada activists entered Syncrude’s Aurora North Tar Sands facility early on July 24, erecting a banner that transformed the opening of a tailings pond pipe into the “mouth” of a giant skull, spewing toxic sludge into the same tailings pond that earlier this year killed 500 migrating ducks.
Activists also deployed a massive banner reading “World’s Dirtiest Oil: Stop the Tar Sands.”
A third group of activists attempted to block another pipe to prevent further toxic contamination of Alberta’s environment, but were intercepted by Syncrude security before they could completely block the pipe.
Braving toxic fumes and oily, black water, 11 Greenpeace activists entered Syncrude’s Aurora tar sands operation this morning, targeting the same two-kilometre wide tailings pond just north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, that made international headlines in March after 500 ducks landed on the pond and drowned in the sludge.
Shortly after 11:00 a.m., Greenpeace activists attempted to block two pipes. They tried to block one of the pipes but were unable due to the enormous pressure from the discharge. Before they were able to attempt the block on a second pipe, they were intercepted by Syncrude security and held until the RCMP could arrive onsite.
Syncrude security arrived on the scene and took 11 activists into custody and handed them over to the Local RCMP. According to news reports, each of the eleven was given a $287 ticket for trespassing,then released.
Dave Martin of the Toronto Greenpeace office was apparently one of those who did the action. He is a great anti-nucler activist.