Three protestors, including 60-year-old Ann Woodruff of Anacortes, were arrested Monday after blockading rail tracks leading to the Tesoro Refinery rail yard for several hours.
Sheriff’s deputies also arrested 62-year-old Annette Klapstein, of Bainbridge and 28-year-old Adam Gaya, of Seattle. Several other protestors left when asked to. Woodruff and the other two protestors had locked themselves to each other, through armhole in concrete-filled barrels on the track.
Woodruff told a reporter for the Skagit Valley Herald that she was opposed to industrial pollution coming from both Anacortes refineries and said oil trains coming into Anacortes pose unacceptable risks to the community. “We have to stand up and say no, and we have to make our elected officials listen to us. Take their eyes off the pot of gold.”
Tesoro spokesperson Matthew Gille said via email that the company worked with law enforcement to reach a safe resolution. "Our first concern is the protection of our employees and the safety of our neighbors and the individuals involved. Therefore, we take this type of incident very seriously. We do not anticipate any impact upon our ability to fulfill supply commitments as a result of this incident.”
The protest, which began around 8am, was over by noon.