Thank you everyone who has donated towards the initial legal expenses of this last tree sit. We’ve raised $4,271.71 towards the total $9,526.00, or 45 percent of our initial costs. This tree sit earned mention in the New York Times and Washington Post, not to mention repeated coverage on multiple TV outlets, Business Week, and local and national newspapers. Democracy Now!, Free Speech Radio News and other non-mainstream outlets also picked up the action repeatedly, including front-and-center on Indymedia.us.
Please donate to the legal defense fund by PayPal or otherwise, or donate to our general operating fund which is just as important, through PayPal or otherwise. Every donation makes a difference, regardless of size.
But more important than the media coverage, the West Virginia governor actually agreed to meet with us about the felonious abuse Massey was subjecting the tree sitters to, and the campaign is going to federal court. This came after clogging the phone system at Massey’s headquarters in Richmond, Va., and a call-in day to the governor himself.
Thank you everyone who continues to make this campaign possible. More details will be forthcoming about the federal lawsuit Massey filed against five of the seven arrested in the tree sit, seeking at least $75,000 in damages. We’ll be asking for as many people as possible to show up for these court dates as we put Massey and mountaintop removal on trial.
The restraining order and lawsuit court documents are available for PDF download here.
Tags: civil injunction, Federal Court, tree sit
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by CoalIsFilthy: Court doc.s filed by Massey vs. anti-#mtr tree sitters available here: http://bit.ly/9lhehh...
I love your spirit! Please continue the hard work of keeping your neighbors safe and keeping our beautiful mountains around forever!
I GOT YOUR DONATION. IT’S IN THE PORTA JON UP ON THE STRIP MINE. HAHA
Climate ground zero I personaly think you all are stupid I hope you all get yours youve had coming for sometime now. Someday you will pissoff the wrong person and all hell could break loose give it up go away we dont want to hurt you. We could care less what you think or say all I know is blasting is a happenin and coal river mtn is flattinin
[...] So far, the coal industry and their political allies, inside and out of Appalachia, are fighting the anti-mountaintop removal legally (both criminal and civil), often resulting in jail time and fines. There have also been threats and acts of violence directed at community members, organizers and activists in the coalfields. Eric and his fellow tree-sitters sat in 60 ft. trees for over a week while coal company employees harassed and abused them with constant noise, bright lights, tree shaking and threats of spraying them down with fire hoses. At the end of their tree-sit, Massey Energy has sued them for $75,000 and filed for a temporary restraining order in federal court. [...]
[...] So far, the coal industry and their political allies, inside and out of Appalachia, are fighting the anti-mountaintop removal legally (both criminal and civil), often resulting in jail time and fines. There have also been threats and acts of violence directed at community members, organizers and activists in the coalfields. Eric and his fellow tree-sitters sat in 60 ft. trees for over a week while coal company employees harassed and abused them with constant noise, bright lights, tree shaking and threats of spraying them down with fire hoses. At the end of their tree-sit, Massey Energy has sued them for $75,000 and filed for a temporary restraining order in federal court. [...]
[...] proximity to the Brushy Fork sludge impoundment. In response to the tree-sit, Massey has filed a civil case arguing that the action caused them $75,000 in damages. Keep visiting climategroundzero for updates [...]