Several American protesters were arrested Tuesday for reportedly shutting down pipelines across the U.S., including Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline facility west of Burlington, Washington.
The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Kinder Morgan officials that morning, according to a press release, notifying them there might be a threat to one of their stations. Police were told that an individual had contacted them and said he was going to shut off the pipeline.
That man is believed to be 59-year-old Ken Ward, founder of the Climate Disobedience Centre.
During a 47-minute Facebook video, Ward is seen cutting the lock on the fence surrounding the Washington site. He is seen cutting the chains off two orange-coloured valves, turning them, securing them with a new chain and placing a bouquet of sunflowers on the wheel.
“Today I shut off the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline in Anacortes, WA to avert climate catastrophe and stand with the Standing Rock Water Protectors. We must stop the fossil fuel industry in its tracks,” Ward wrote in a Facebook post after.
A while later, a police officer is seen approaching the site, asking if Ward is with Kinder Morgan. When he responds that he isn’t, the officer asks how he got in. Ward informs him of his route, which prompts the officer to notify him he’s under arrest for trespassing. Ward peacefully complies and responds with “What would you like me to do?”
Police also arrested two other activists who were filming Ward. The trio are currently in custody at the county jail on investigative holds for burglary second degree and criminal sabotage, according to the press release.
The group behind the protests is U.S.-based Climate Direct Action, which tampered with other pipelines carrying oil from Alberta's oilsands, including infrastructure in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.
In an emailed statement, Kinder Morgan said, at the time of the incident, the company was not operating that portion of the line and Ward’s actions did not cause the release of any product.
“We are conducting a thorough inspection to ensure the integrity of the pipeline system,” said spokesperson Ali Hounsell. “As we do with any operational incident, we’ll continue to review those security measures and procedures.”
Hounsell was quick to point out that Ward’s turning of the valves didn’t turn anything off.
In regards to his actions, she said people have the right to have their opinion about the pipeline and the bigger issues around oil, and that there are many ways to express those views within the law.
“Certainly, trespassing and breaking into facilities is not one of them, so we can’t condone that,” she said.
