Demonstrators during the September, 2014 People's Climate March. (Photo: Light Brigading/flickr/cc)
Jan 21, 2015
Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's inauguration on Tuesday in a grassroots show of force against fracking.
The action, organized by the newly formed Pennsylvanians Against Fracking coalition, kicked off at a Harrisburg church, followed by a march to and rally at the inauguration site, where they chanted, "Fracking PA? Our Answer is No!"
Eight people were arrested by Capitol Police for disrupting Wolf's speech, NPRreports.
The demonstrators' presence apparently came as no surprise to the Democrat; from his prepared remarks: "To the protesters here today, I say: help me develop these opportunities in a way that is clean, safe and sustainable."
But that proposition is "a non-starter," said Sam Bernhardt, senior Pennsylvania organizer of Food & Water Watch, one of co-founding members of Pennsylvanians Against Fracking.
"We know that there's no safe way to develop shale through high volume hydraulic fracturing," Bernhardt told Common Dreams. "There's no way to frack safely," he said.
That's why the coalition staged Tuesday's action, he continued, because their goal is to stop fracking in the state. "The governor is the one individual in Pennsylvania who can give us what we want," he said.
So far, Wolf has indicated which side he's chosen by saying he disagrees with New York's landmark fracking ban, has accepted money from the gas industry, and has appointed as members of his cabinet people who played a role in opening up the state to the industry, Bernhardt said.
But the coalition has no plans of losing steam, Bernhardt said. They intend to follow Wolf "wherever he goes" and show him that people in every corner of the state oppose fracking.
"We think if we can show the grassroots power, the people can win out over the gas industry."
Also present at the rally was Josh Fox, award-winning director of Gasland and Gasland Part II, who said in a media statement: "Governor Tom Wolf inherited insane policies on fracking but he does not have to continue these policies. The choice is Governor Wolf's--listen to science and to the harmed citizens of Pennsylvania or be on the wrong side of history."
Twitter users captured parts of the demonstration:
\u201cToday at @GovernorTomWolf's inauguration with @PAAgainstFrack, @gaslandmovie and hundreds to say: #StopFrackingNow!\u201d— Food & Water Watch (@Food & Water Watch) 1421788114
\u201cProtesters' chants of "ban fracking now" can be heard over ceremony but pause for national anthem. #WolfInauguration\u201d— Liam Migdail (@Liam Migdail) 1421775642
\u201cBig props to everyone who disrupted @WolfForPA's inauguration. We could hear you on TV! #PAinaug #OurAnswerIsNo\u201d— Deirdre Shelly (@Deirdre Shelly) 1421777339
\u201cGreat rally to #banfracking at Gov Wolf's inauguration. #OurAnswerIsNo Dear @wolfforpa-we are from PA #notfromgasland\u201d— Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f (@Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f) 1421772185
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's inauguration on Tuesday in a grassroots show of force against fracking.
The action, organized by the newly formed Pennsylvanians Against Fracking coalition, kicked off at a Harrisburg church, followed by a march to and rally at the inauguration site, where they chanted, "Fracking PA? Our Answer is No!"
Eight people were arrested by Capitol Police for disrupting Wolf's speech, NPRreports.
The demonstrators' presence apparently came as no surprise to the Democrat; from his prepared remarks: "To the protesters here today, I say: help me develop these opportunities in a way that is clean, safe and sustainable."
But that proposition is "a non-starter," said Sam Bernhardt, senior Pennsylvania organizer of Food & Water Watch, one of co-founding members of Pennsylvanians Against Fracking.
"We know that there's no safe way to develop shale through high volume hydraulic fracturing," Bernhardt told Common Dreams. "There's no way to frack safely," he said.
That's why the coalition staged Tuesday's action, he continued, because their goal is to stop fracking in the state. "The governor is the one individual in Pennsylvania who can give us what we want," he said.
So far, Wolf has indicated which side he's chosen by saying he disagrees with New York's landmark fracking ban, has accepted money from the gas industry, and has appointed as members of his cabinet people who played a role in opening up the state to the industry, Bernhardt said.
But the coalition has no plans of losing steam, Bernhardt said. They intend to follow Wolf "wherever he goes" and show him that people in every corner of the state oppose fracking.
"We think if we can show the grassroots power, the people can win out over the gas industry."
Also present at the rally was Josh Fox, award-winning director of Gasland and Gasland Part II, who said in a media statement: "Governor Tom Wolf inherited insane policies on fracking but he does not have to continue these policies. The choice is Governor Wolf's--listen to science and to the harmed citizens of Pennsylvania or be on the wrong side of history."
Twitter users captured parts of the demonstration:
\u201cToday at @GovernorTomWolf's inauguration with @PAAgainstFrack, @gaslandmovie and hundreds to say: #StopFrackingNow!\u201d— Food & Water Watch (@Food & Water Watch) 1421788114
\u201cProtesters' chants of "ban fracking now" can be heard over ceremony but pause for national anthem. #WolfInauguration\u201d— Liam Migdail (@Liam Migdail) 1421775642
\u201cBig props to everyone who disrupted @WolfForPA's inauguration. We could hear you on TV! #PAinaug #OurAnswerIsNo\u201d— Deirdre Shelly (@Deirdre Shelly) 1421777339
\u201cGreat rally to #banfracking at Gov Wolf's inauguration. #OurAnswerIsNo Dear @wolfforpa-we are from PA #notfromgasland\u201d— Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f (@Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f) 1421772185
Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's inauguration on Tuesday in a grassroots show of force against fracking.
The action, organized by the newly formed Pennsylvanians Against Fracking coalition, kicked off at a Harrisburg church, followed by a march to and rally at the inauguration site, where they chanted, "Fracking PA? Our Answer is No!"
Eight people were arrested by Capitol Police for disrupting Wolf's speech, NPRreports.
The demonstrators' presence apparently came as no surprise to the Democrat; from his prepared remarks: "To the protesters here today, I say: help me develop these opportunities in a way that is clean, safe and sustainable."
But that proposition is "a non-starter," said Sam Bernhardt, senior Pennsylvania organizer of Food & Water Watch, one of co-founding members of Pennsylvanians Against Fracking.
"We know that there's no safe way to develop shale through high volume hydraulic fracturing," Bernhardt told Common Dreams. "There's no way to frack safely," he said.
That's why the coalition staged Tuesday's action, he continued, because their goal is to stop fracking in the state. "The governor is the one individual in Pennsylvania who can give us what we want," he said.
So far, Wolf has indicated which side he's chosen by saying he disagrees with New York's landmark fracking ban, has accepted money from the gas industry, and has appointed as members of his cabinet people who played a role in opening up the state to the industry, Bernhardt said.
But the coalition has no plans of losing steam, Bernhardt said. They intend to follow Wolf "wherever he goes" and show him that people in every corner of the state oppose fracking.
"We think if we can show the grassroots power, the people can win out over the gas industry."
Also present at the rally was Josh Fox, award-winning director of Gasland and Gasland Part II, who said in a media statement: "Governor Tom Wolf inherited insane policies on fracking but he does not have to continue these policies. The choice is Governor Wolf's--listen to science and to the harmed citizens of Pennsylvania or be on the wrong side of history."
Twitter users captured parts of the demonstration:
\u201cToday at @GovernorTomWolf's inauguration with @PAAgainstFrack, @gaslandmovie and hundreds to say: #StopFrackingNow!\u201d— Food & Water Watch (@Food & Water Watch) 1421788114
\u201cProtesters' chants of "ban fracking now" can be heard over ceremony but pause for national anthem. #WolfInauguration\u201d— Liam Migdail (@Liam Migdail) 1421775642
\u201cBig props to everyone who disrupted @WolfForPA's inauguration. We could hear you on TV! #PAinaug #OurAnswerIsNo\u201d— Deirdre Shelly (@Deirdre Shelly) 1421777339
\u201cGreat rally to #banfracking at Gov Wolf's inauguration. #OurAnswerIsNo Dear @wolfforpa-we are from PA #notfromgasland\u201d— Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f (@Josh Fox \ud83d\udc00\u2721\ufe0f) 1421772185
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.