Protestors aim to shame Shell

Oil drilling platform is temporarily anchored in Port Angeles

Having traveled from Malaysia, the offshore oil drilling platform Polar Pioneer reached Port Angeles on April 17, but not without notice.

Acting under the shared umbrella of the Shell No Action Coalition, environmental activists from a variety of groups banded together to peacefully protest the intentions behind the oil rig’s presence.

Owned by Transocean Ltd., the Polar Pioneer, with a maximum drilling depth capacity of 25,000 feet, is northbound for exploratory oil drilling off the coast of Alaska under Shell Oil Company.

The mutual goal among the groups protesting is to “protect the Arctic and put a spotlight on climate justice,” Eric Ross, organizing director of The Backbone Campaign, said.

“It’s our job to do better than this,” Kit Kittredge, a Shell No protestor, said. “It’s a pivotal time when we have to shift away from this type of power source. It’s a disservice to our children and the generations to come.”

Before being towed to Seattle, the Polar Pioneer is expected to remain within the area for about two weeks while it undergoes routine outfitting.

Once the Polar Pioneer is in Seattle, a three-day festival of resistance aimed to shame Shell Oil Company is planned to begin May 16.