FERC "Pancakes Not Pipelines" Protest Confronts Forces of Destruction with Generosity, Love and Vulnerability

Yesterday I took part in a powerful symbolic action at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) headquarters in Washington DC.

A few weeks ago, FERC allowed Megan Holleran’s maple syrup farm to be cut down to make room for the Constitution pipeline, sending in marshals with AR-15s to make sure Holleran and her supporters didn’t get in the way of the guys with chainsaws.

Holleran responded by bringing the very last of the maple syrup from her farm and asking FERC employees to sit down and eat with her. There was some lightheartedness as we made pancakes on the sidewalk, which gave the protest a genuinely inviting feel. But it was radically confrontational with raw vulnerability.

Holleran refused to leave until they arrested her and seven others, including Josh Fox and Bethany Yarrow, forcing FERC to visibly act out their assault on her livelihood. This represents the best of symbolic protest--confronting forces of destruction with a radically different paradigm of generosity, love and vulnerability.

Megan Holleran arrest, photo by Tim DeChristopher

Josh Fox arrest, photo by Lee Ziesche

Arrests:
Josh Fox
Megan Holleran
Gabe Shapiro
BXE organizer Don Weightman
Ashfield (MA) Selectman Ron Coler
Jane Kendall
Bethany Yarrow

News coverage says we were protesting the clear-cutting of maple trees on the Holleran family farm for the construction of the Constitution Pipeline. That's the local fight. On a larger scale, this action was part of the growing movement to resist all new fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

Building new natural gas infrastructure is a commitment to not solving the climate crisis.

Media Hits:

Also see our posts compiling photos and videos live tweeted during the action:

'Climate change is on the menu' but no one from @FERC has the courage 2 talk 2 us. #pancakesnotpipelines @BXEAction pic.twitter.com/wNKVyHmjGF
— Josh Fox (@joshfoxfilm) March 24, 2016

Making solar pancakes for FERC w/ @dechristopher w/ last syrup from Hollerans #pancakesnotpiplines #letgoandlove pic.twitter.com/jMuxIVMIar
— Josh Fox (@joshfoxfilm) March 24, 2016

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Peter Martinson commented 2016-04-13 20:23:12 -0400
Interesting how one of the individuals arrested (Ron Coler) during this protest amassed quite a bit of wealth as the owner of a consulting firm that did extensive work for major pipeline companies across the country.

He is the same person who worked for years (unsuccessfully) attempting to build a pipeline, that he would partially own through the Amazon rain forest.
Robert Run commented 2016-03-26 12:50:26 -0400
it’s infuriating, the disrespect for individual and property rights. The utter contempt for honest free-enterprise and small business.
Where is the property located? I did not see that in the article.

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