Updates from the Tree Sit Against the Mountain Valley Pipeline

A note from the Yellow Finch tree sits on their 118th day of blocking the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Originally posted to the Appalachians Against Pipelines page.

It appears that in the first few days of this new year, Mountain Valley Pipeline may be escalating their actions against myself and my treesitting friend. MVP may cut us off from resupplies, or may attempt to extract us from these dear trees … only time will tell.

In just a few days, there will be an injunction hearing upon MVP’s request, against us tree sitters. If this injunction goes through, this means that MVP will technically have permission to bring the U.S. Marshals in to wreak havoc in whatever way they deem fit.

In addition to the fine job these MVP fellows have done of hanging papers on trees (not without some difficulty ascending and descending this slippery, slippery hill), they have informed us that they will be setting up overnight security to keep an eye on us ne’er-do-wells. While this may sound ominous to some, I promise you it provides mostly entertainment on our part (they are some seriously goofy folks).

We are not worried.

This is not our first or last rodeo. So do not lose hope, or whatever it is that you hold onto in these times. Feel these little liberatory moments nipping at your heels. This is it. This is freedom. And not that hollow word howled about in every patriotic trope, but TRUE freedom. When time seems to stop. When our friends become our comrades, and our comrades, our friends. And when those in control lose it, even just for a second.

We can no longer look at liberation as the end goal of some revolutionary moment or era. We always have that power within us. I am liberated right now, sitting what feels like miles above my enemies, closer to heaven than my old pastor ever thought I’d be.

So come here! Or go somewhere! Somewhere you can feel the earth beneath your feet. Just begin! It’s that simple. If you’re looking, you’ll find us.

— from the white pine

An update from the Yellow Finch tree sits: Global Security (Mountain Valley Pipeline’s private security) have set up a small tarp and “camp” very close to the tree sits. They are currently sitting beneath the tarp, uncomfortably leaning to one side due to the steep incline of the hill.

As the sitter in the white pine stated, “This is what we’re up against: a group of under-prepared, most likely underpaid people, being forced by their bosses to sit out in the cold all day (with no way of going to the bathroom I might add).

Let that empower you. These people, the main cog in a billion dollar project, are currently being made fools of by the rag tag group of hippies across the way.”

These two tree sits have been blocking the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline outside of Elliston, VA for 120 days now!

Donate to support the tree sits and resistance to the MVP here.
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