[/caption] On April 18, one day after the end of the IMF protests, Power Shift and Reclaim Power hit the streets with a mobilization resembling A16/2000 for imagery and streets filled with protesters. Action culminated with hundreds of Rising Tide activists storming the Department of the Interior! “Power Shift returns tarballs to BP” (video) It all started with Power Shift’s rally at the headquarters of the notorious US Chamber of Commerce, where H st was blocked while a skit was performed denouncing the Chamber’s dirty money and members of Congress who accept it or money from the coal, oil, and gas industries. Next, the entire combined force of Power Shift and Rising Tide activists marched on BP’s government relations headquarters, where a bottle of tarballs and oil from BP’s spill was returned. Security guards called the oil a “hazard” even though BP seems to deem it safe enough in seafood. Shrimp with a side order of tarballs ayone? After BP was Genon-a major owner of coal fired electrical generating plants, which faced a blockade of 13th st and of it’s front door but no entry team or other known direct action. Finally, Power Shift returned to Lafayette Park-and Reclaim Power, with most of Rising Tide DC and many other Rising Tide activists set out from there for the Department of the Interior, where coal, oil, and gas leases on public lands are approved. Well over 100 activists rushed the front doors and stormed into the lobbby, which filled with protesters until no more would fit inside! The usual three warnings from police included a chilling threat of felony charges for “trespassing” and “Unlawful Entry” to be Federaly prosecuted. Twenty people stayed anyway and were arrested, yet unknown if the felony charges were actually filed. Of course, the Department of the Interior has a prior record of charging activsts with felonies, most notoriously in the case of Tim DeChristopher who bid on oil and gas leases to keep them off the market. Earlier in the week, protest gathered in opposition to the World Bank/IMF meetings in DC (click for video)]]>
