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Shell Oil drilling rig protest
Shell Oil drilling rig protest
SEATTLE (AP) — A few hundred protesters on Monday blocked entrances to a seaport terminal in Seattle where Royal Dutch Shell's massive floating drill rig will be loaded up before heading to the waters off Alaska this summer.
The critics of Arctic oil drilling held banners and flags as they marched across a bridge to Terminal 5, temporarily closing the road during Monday morning's commute.
Once at the terminal, they spread out across the entrances and rallied, danced and spoke for several hours before leaving the site in the early afternoon.
Seattle police say no one was arrested and the demonstration remained peaceful. A few dozen officers followed the march on foot and bicycle and kept watch at the terminal.
A Shell spokesman says they anticipated the protests and they did not stop work on the floating drill rig.
The city of Seattle issued a violation notice late Monday afternoon, saying use of Terminal 5 by a massive floating drill rig was in violation of its permitted use as a cargo terminal. Shell's host, Foss Maritime, can appeal that notice. Possible fines start at $150 per day.
Shell spokesman Curtis Smith says his company believes "that the terms agreed upon by Shell, Foss and the Port of Seattle for use of Terminal 5 are valid," and Shell plans to continue loading its oil rigs.
Foss Maritime spokesman Paul Queary says Terminal 5 "is permitted to tie up ships while they being loaded" and that's what's happening.