PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

TN activists disrupt National Coal shareholder Mtg. 3 arrested
by MJS Wednesday, Jun. 08, 2005 at 11:15 AM

On Tuesday June 7, Approximately 45 activists surprised the first-ever shareholders meeting of Knoxville-based National Coal Corporation—the most destructive coal company in Tennessee, at the Holiday Inn Select in west Knoxville.

Approximately 45 activists surprised the first-ever
shareholders meeting of Knoxville-based National Coal
Corporation—the most destructive coal company in Tennessee,
at the Holiday Inn Select in west Knoxville.

The procession, which included a marching band, a bear
costume and other animals, found the door to National Coal
Corporation’s meeting locked. As a sheriff opened the door,
demonstrators demanded that National Coal stop mountaintop
removal mining, while distributing informational flyers to
shareholders.

The sheriff and National Coal Corporation responded by
assaulting protesters with pain compliance and choke holds.
Activists disrupted the meeting with chants, drumming, and
portable security alarms.

Eventually, the sheriff and National Coal Corporation board
members cleared and shut the door. The marching band and
chanting continued for another ten minutes until more law
enforcement officers arrived. Personal security alarms were
still going off as demonstrators exited the building.

Police said protestors could continue the protest outside,
but minutes later two protestors were arrested. A
journalist was detained for an hour and his camera was
temporarily seized. A third protestor was arrested later as
people returned to their cars.
National Coal is a new company that has bought over 115,000
acres of mineral rights in TN, and KY. They claim on their
website, http://www.nationalcoal.com, that they are going to "mine
these mountains like never before."
Several trumped-up charges were stacked onto three
demonstrators after the sheriff was noted to say they ‘were
going down.’
-John Johnson was charged with aggravated assualt
disrupting a meeting or procession,burglary, incitement to
riot, and aggravated assault (bail=$22,000.
-Sequoia Mcdowell was charged with assault, disrupting a
meeting or
procession, Burglary, aggravated riot (bail=$10,500).
-Chris Dodsen was charged with aggravated assault,
disrupting a
meeting or procession, burglary, and aggravated riot
(bail=$13,00).
These charges are completely unfounded; we
have video evidence disproving all of them as well as
countless witnesses. Furthermore all of the arrestess are
100% dedicated to nonviolence. THESE CHARGES ARE EXTREMELY
SERIOUS.They are being stacked onto dedicated nonviolent
activists to punish them for excersing their 1st amendment
rights and to try to crush resistance to mountain top
removal mining. The police are labeling them as
ecoterrorists and accusing the jail support team of being
eco-terrorists as well. We are hoping they will be
arraigned and get a bond hearing by the morning of 9th.


Legal funds are desperately needed—to donate, please send
checks or money orders to Mountain Justice Summer, PO Box
16309, Knoxville TN 37996. You can send donations via Pay
Pal by logging on to their website and emailing
mountainjuscticesummer@hushmail.com (Please specify the
donation is for Legal Fund.).


Mountain Justice Summer activists are being targeted with
trumped up charges and lies. National Coal Corporation
fabricated stories to the police about protestors "with
bombs" and acts of ecoterrorism. We will meet their lies
with the overwhelming facts of their destructive mining
practices. We will not be silenced

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