Activists dangle from Portland bridge in Shell Oil protest
PORTLAND, Ore. — Greenpeace activists lowered themselves with ropes from the deck of the St. Johns Bridge on Wednesday and dangled there in an effort to stall the departure of a Shell Oil vessel headed for Arctic waters.
They were joined by as many as 60 "kayaktivists" who hoped to block the Royal Dutch Shell PLC icebreaker Fennica’s passage on the Willamette River.
Greenpeace said there were 26 people involved in dangling from the bridge, and those on the 13 ropes are prepared to stay for several days. Activists on the bridge were overseeing safety anchors for the ropes.
"We're prepared to stay as long as it takes to send a message from Shell and stop the Fennica from leaving," demonstrator Georgia Hirsty said.
One the activists told KGW he brought along a copy of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray to help him pass the time.
Police and transportation officials kept vehicle traffic flowing on two of the four lanes of the bridge through the morning commute.
"We don't intend to disrupt business of other things or get in the way of other people," Hirsty said.
Pedestrians were not allowed to cross the span. The bridge may close later Wednesday, police said. The nearest detour is the Fremont Bridge.
The Fennica arrived in Portland for repairs Saturday. It was damaged earlier this month in the Aleutian Islands when it struck an underwater obstruction, tearing a gash in its hull.
Shell Oil spokeswoman Megan Baldino said in a prepared statement "we respect the rights of individuals and groups to express their opinion, all we ask is that they do so within the confines of the law and maintain safety as their first priority. Safety is paramount. "
Greenpeace USA executive director Annie Leonard says delaying the icebreaker will give President Obama more time to reconsider giving Shell the last permit it needs to drill.
Opponents of Arctic drilling worry the area's remoteness and rugged conditions will hamper cleanup efforts in the event of a spill, risking devastation to a fragile marine ecosystem.
Contributing: The Associated Press