Eleven charged in protests against tar sands pipeline

I promised to update Civil disobedience against tar sands in Marshall, Michigan in WXYZ this entry.  Recent events have overtaken that promise, as WILX reports 12 Protesters Arrested at Enbridge Inc. Construction Site.  Here's the video.



The Lansing State Journal's headline read Twelve arrested at Enbridge protest in Stockbridge.

Security around the Enbridge 6B easement will be increased due to "safety concerns" after 12 people were arrested Monday during a protest at the site, a company spokesman said.

Eight protesters from the Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands were arrested in the morning out of a group of about 40.

Four more protesters, who had attached themselves to two bulldozers, were arrested by early afternoon.

That was yesterday.  Today's Lansing State Journal updated the situation with Four face felony charges after Enbridge pipeline protest.

Four of the 11 people jailed after protesting oil pipeline construction near Stockbridge face felony charges, officials said.

The four are charged with resisting and obstructing police, a felony punishable by up to two years in prison. Each also faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge.
...
The other seven protesters are charged with trespassing.

Somehow, one person was either erroneously reported arrested or wasn't charged.  That's OK, there are still a dozen people charged with trespassing and other crimes as a result of protesting the Enbridge tar sands pipeline.  Let's not forget Christopher Wahmhoff, who was arrested last month in Marshall.  Follow over the jump for the latest on his story.

First, I was right to write "I hope Wahmoff has a good lawyer.  He'll need one."  The Battle Creek Enquirer reported last month Felony charge issued for pipe-sitter.

An oil pipeline protester was ordered released on bond Tuesday after being charged with a felony.

Christopher Wahmhoff, 35, of Kalamazoo, was arraigned in Calhoun County District Court Tuesday afternoon on a charge of resisting police -- a felony with a maximum sentence of two years in prison -- and tresspassing, a 90-day misdemeanor.

Wahmhoff, who spent 10 hours Monday inside a new oil pipeline being installed by Enbridge Inc. near Marshall, was released on a $2,500 personal recognizance bond.

He did not have to post any money but would be liable to pay the full amount if he failed to appear for court hearings.
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Prosecutor David Gilbert did not preclude additional charges and said his office will ask for restitution at least for the cost to the county of having deputies, firefighters and other first responders at the scene.

“You are costing the county taxpayers money,” Gilbert said.

He said he is working with officials to determine the restitution amount.

It looks like he got a good lawyer to get that personal recognizance bond, but he may have to raise money for the resititution.

That's not all.  This month, Addicting Info* is running a series on the protest and its aftermath so far: Fighting Fossil Fuel In Michigan; Why Chris Wahmhoff Spent His Birthday Inside An Enbridge Pipeline Part 1 and Fighting Fossil Fuel In Michigan: Part 2, Inside The Pipeline.  There is a part three planned for later this week.

*Addicting Info does not have the best reputation as a news source as it operates off of exploiting and confirming the Left's prejudices to draw eyeballs, but I can't find another outlets reporting this story.  If you wish, take anything from the site with a grain of salt.