Vermont Business Magazine A protest at Vermont Gas Systems this morning resulted in one protester being led away in handcuffs. It also resulted in Vermont Gas accusing the Rising Tide Vermont protesters of "assault" on an employee during this morning's demonstration at the Vermont Gas headquarters in South Burlington.
Sara Mehalick is interviewed by a WPTZ Channel 5 reporter Tuesday morning as she is chained to the front door of Vermont Gas Systems in South Burlington. Photo by Katie Kittell, Vermont Business Magazine.
The Rising Tide members were protesting both the planned extension of the Vermont Gas pipeline to Addison and Rutland counties, and eventually to the Ticonderoga paper plant in New York, and hydro fracturing, or fracking, which the group claims is the source of the VGS natural gas.
Vermont Gas, meanwhile, claims that during the early part of the demonstration, protesters attempting to chain Sara Mehalick manhandled an unnamed VGS employee, causing bodily harm. Rising Tide denies that accusation.
Mehalick, of Plainfield, was the only Rising Tide member taken into custody. The other protesters left peacefully. Mehalick was chained to the front door. A Vermont Business Magazine photographer did not witness any altercations.
Vermont Gas issued this statement later Tuesday:
"An administrative support staff member at Vermont Gas was physically assaulted today by a group of protesters from Rising Tide Vermont and 350.org.
"The protestors pushed their way past the employee who was attempting to ensure the protest did not impede the normal flow of customers into, and out of, the Vermont Gas headquarters building.
"When protestors forcefully pushed their way past her, they also threw a chain around a door jam that they then used to chain a fellow protestor in place. In the process of pushing the administrative staff member out of the way and chaining their colleague to the door, protestors made physical contact with the Vermont Gas employee – with their hands and the chain – and physically, and visibly, injured the employee on the arm.
"Vermont Gas had previously planned to allow protestors to express their view, peacefully.
"Unfortunately, the protestors from Rising Tide and 350.org knowingly assaulted a member of the administrative staff. In addition, they obstructed customers from entering and exiting the building through the main entrance.
"Due to this extreme behavior – primarily the assault of an employee – and out of an abundance of caution for both employee and customer safety – the protestors were asked to leave the property peacefully and on their own accord. We can no longer trust that they can express their views peacefully.
"Most of the protestors left the area after being served notices of trespass. One Rising Tide protestor, however, declined to leave and the South Burlington police department was asked to remove the protestor for trespassing.
"Out of respect for her privacy, Vermont Gas will not be releasing the name of the injured employee, unless assault charges are filed."
Rising Tide Vermont responded to those allegations with a statement of its own:
"Rising Tide Vermont organized and participated in a nonviolent direct action at Vermont Gas Systems' headquarters today. Rising Tide denies Vermont Gas' allegations that an assault occurred during this nonviolent action.
"Today's action was aimed at defending our communities against the assaults of the fossil fuel industry. Climate change and fossil fuel extraction endanger communities and people across the world every day. Vermont Gas continues to impose itself upon communities across Vermont, even though they have stated publicly that if towns don't want their fracked gas pipeline, they won't build it.
"The fossil fuel industry is desperate for profits, and they will say anything to protect their bottom line.
"Rising Tide Vermont takes full accountability for today's action."
Mehalick, who was chained around the neck, said in a statement:
"Today I'm taking action because Vermont Gas is intent upon shackling our communities to fossil fuels, and condemning us to irreversible climate change. We have a responsibility to the communities whose land, water, and air are being poisoned by fracking, and we're determined to make sure that this fracked gas pipeline does not move forward. Today we're here to tell Vermont Gas to cancel their construction plans, or expect to see growing resistance."