Today, hundreds marched and saw fifteen community and climate activists arrested as the Midwest Rising! Convergence took the streets of St. Louis to protest Bank of America and Peabody Coal.
The arrest action occurred in the intersection connecting Bank of America’s St. Louis offices and Peabody’s national headquarters.
Peabody is the world’s largest coal company and mines states like Wyoming and Montana for coal bound for coal plants in the U.S. and overseas markets. They are currently trying to build coal export terminals along the Washington coast for coal bound for Asia. Peabody has also recently taken a $61 million tax credit from the city of St. Louis, $2 million of that cash will be taken from St. Louis schools.
Bank of America is the largest forecloser in the nation and the largest funder of coal. Bank of America execs have taken over $35 million in bonuses and compensation even as the troubled financial instritution took government bailouts.
Midwest Rising was made up of 400 people from 50 different organizations, including a cross-section of labor, community and climate organizations and convened in St. Louis on August 11 – 15. Organizations represented include: Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment, Rising Tide, Climate Action STL, St. Louis Instead of War Coalition, Organization for Black Struggle, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Coal Country, Mountain Justice/United Mountain Defense, Greening Detroit, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), North County Neighbors, The Rainforest Action Network: Chicago Chapter, and Pick Up America.
Here’s the press advisory, post-action press release out soon:
Activists to March on Peabody, BofA in Unique Blend of
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