Tar Sands Protest Ends with 1,200 Arrests

1,252—that’s how many activists were arrested outside the White House over the two-week protest of the Keystone XL pipeline that came to a dramatic close on Saturday.

For the final day of the sit-in—a movement in opposition to the massive proposed pipeline which would run from Canada to Texas and transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day—more than 1,200 people dressed in black formed a giant pipeline, curving through Lafayette Square behind the White House.

The total number of arrests tops the goal of 1,000 set by Tar Sands Action, the group behind the protest of the $7 billion pipeline.

During the final day of the protest, environmentalist and organizer Bill McKibben, one of the first to be arrested, said they’ll announce a second phase of the campaign this week. CNN reports that those efforts include protests in Ottawa, Canada, and in Washington, DC on Oct. 7—the date of the final congressional hearing on the pipeline project.

(More on CampusProgress.org: Challenging the Tar Sands)

Despite a recent stamp of approval from the State Department, activists and environmental experts maintain that the pipeline would have a devastating effect on large portions of the country and has the potential to cause serious long-term problems with the climate. President Obama is expected to decide if he’ll approve the project by the end of the year.

Stick with CampusProgress.org for more information on the movement against the Keystone XL pipeline in coming weeks.

Brian Stewart is the communications manager at Campus Progress.

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