Thousands Protest Coal at D.C. Capitol Power Plant. By Kate Sheppard, Grist, March 2, 2009. "No one was arrested, but not for lack of trying. An estimated 2,500 people protested outside Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Power Plant on Monday -- the nation's largest act of civil disobedience against coal power. Anti-coal activists from all corners of the country braved the sub-freezing temperatures and six inches of snow the city received Sunday night. The uncharacteristically wintery conditions egged on global-warming skeptics, but the crowds marching around the plant weren't deterred by the bad weather. Nor were they deterred by last week's good news that congressional leaders are planning to convert the Capitol Power Plant to natural gas by the end of the year -- a move that seemed designed to preempt the protest. They came bearing signs: 'Topless mountains are obscene.' 'Clean coal is like dry water.' 'Renewable is doable.' They had chants: 'Clean coal's a giant lie. We won't let our planet die.' 'Coal companies stop your whining. We don't want your dirty mining.' 'Why are we standing out in the snow? 'Cause dirty coal has got to go.' Many protesters planned to get arrested, but even after several hours of occupying the plant's northeast corner gate, they got no reaction from hundreds of police officers stationed nearby. Organizers declared the protest a success without arrests at around 4:30 p.m., as the sun started to set." To find out more about Monday's action and for photos, go to www.capitolclimateaction.org.
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