04.03.15
On Thursday morning, environmentalists gathered at Jack Perry Memorial Park to launch a blimp reading “ShellNo, Join the Flotilla!” The blimp floated upwards of 150 feet in the air and served as an effort to both bring attention to the eventual docking of Shell oil drilling rigs in Seattle waters—terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle to be specific—and call on the public to participate in direct action via a kayak flotilla to halt the Shell fleet in its tracks. Check out my photos and The Stranger’s Sydney Brownstone’s reporting on Thursday’s demonstration, as well as more shots below. And here’s some back story on the Port of Seattle’s efforts to welcome Shell vessels with open arms.
Activists prepare to launch the blimp at Jack Perry Memorial Park.
Waking the blimp beast from its slumber in the U-Haul truck.
It rained, briefly.
It got gusty for the blimp about 50? 80 feet up?
Bill Moyers – a key organizer with the Back Bone Campaign – was absolutely giddy.
The location of the launch.
The long shot from the 99
The Port of Seattle cops showed up, but left after calmly asking environmentalists to continue their activity on the sidewalk.
Reblogged this on Casey Jaywork.