Live feed and text updatesGreenpeace stages Alberta oilsands blockade
Vancouver Sun: Activists from the environmental group Greenpeace say they have seized a giant dump truck and shovel at Shell's Albian Sands open-pit mine north of Fort McMurray.
A news release from the group says protesters from Canada, the US and France entered the mine site at 8 a.m. and blockaded the truck and shovel by chaining together pickup trucks. Two groups of activists then scaled the machines and chained themselves down while a third unveiled a giant banner reading: 'Tar Sands: Climate Crime.'
Mike Hudema, a spokesman for the group, said they are prepared to remain at the site until their message is heard. 'We have supplies to be here for an extended period of time,' Hudema said. 'We have over 25 people on the site all dedicated because of the tremendous environmental and human rights price tag associated with the tarsands.'
Hudema said the action was timed to coincide with Wednesday's meeting in Washington between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President Barack Obama. The protest, he said, would continue until their message reached the two leaders.
The action also comes less than three months before Copenhagen 2009, the next major global summit on climate change.
Image source: Reuters, The Edmonton Journal
