When police arrested six Greenpeace activists Wednesday during a protest in front of Duke Energy’s corporate headquarters in downtown Charlotte, CL contributing photographer Grant Baldwin was there shooting a series of stunning images. His photo essay is below.
- Grant Baldwin
- Greenpeace’s Monica Embrey stands her ground in front of Duke Energy
- Grant Baldwin
- Protesters participate in nonviolent confrontation: from left to right, Emilia Wicker, Steve English, Annie Vereen (in foreground) and Bradley Bradshaw
- Grant Baldwin
- Wicker and Vanessa Haugh are arrested.
- Grant Baldwin
- Police take Vereen into custody.
The protest, according a Wednesday report by the Charlotte Business Journal‘s Susan Stabley, ended in six arrests, including Embrey, who is the head of Greenpeace’s Charlotte office. The demonstrators face misdemeanor charges of resisting, obstructing and delaying officers. Here’s more from Stabley’s story:
All six who were arrested were from North Carolina, according to Greenpeace. Among them: Monica Embrey, field organizer in charge of opening and leading the environmental group’s operations here. Greenpeace started to expand its presence in Charlotte last summer, identifying Duke Energy as a key target.
A news release sent out by Greenpeace includes a quote from Embrey.
“Duke Energy has gone too far with Charlotte ratepayers,” she said. “We won’t pay higher rates for more dirty energy. We’re asking for fair rates, renewable energy, and green jobs for North Carolina.”
The names of the other protesters, all wearing black shirts imprinted with the words “Be a good neighbor,” were released Wednesday afternoon. They are Vanessa Haugh, Annie Vereen, Brady Bradshaw, Emilia Wicker and Steve English.
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2012.
Here’s an idea. Let Duke Energy shut off all their plants for one week. Zero emissions. Then we can see what life would be like if Greenpeace had their way.
Or we could do just the opposite, and allow industries to pollute without any impediment, or regulation, and see what would happen if the previous poster had their way.