Ocean Beach was abuzz this morning as people gathered for the “Slash Oil” initiative. Nearly 500 people showed up to lie down to call attention to the gulf oil spill. At 11:25am, a helicopter circled overhead to take our picture. I was in the “L”.
Slash Oil was organized by San Francisco writer / activist / taxi driver Brad Newsham as part of a larger initiative that took place today called Hands Across the Sand, a national movement to oppose offshore oil drilling and champion clean energy and renewables.
After forming the slash oil symbol, participants walked down to the water’s edge and spread out across the shoreline holding hands, while the helicopter continued taking pictures. People also joined hands at the shore along Crissy Field.
People attended Slash Oil from all over the Bay Area. I spoke to two women who drove down from Santa Rosa, while others near me came up from the peninsula. Code Pink also attended, providing hot pink fabric that was used to form the slash.
The event got some real street cred when Frank Chu and his notorious sign showed up. He seems to like the laid back protests – we last saw him out here for the sit/lie protest earlier this year. One reader told that Frank refused to sit or lie down while the helicopter was overhead. FAIL, Frank.
Sarah B.
Slash Oil organizer Brad Newsham talks to local media
Why wouldn’t Ghandi be at an event like this?
Getting into position before the helicopter arrived
The pink slash set up by Code Pink
Frank Chu and his nonsensical sign
Two participants who dressed as sea turtles
Participants headed to the shoreline for their “Hands Across the Sand” moment
Well, that’s odd. I was just outside the 7- to 9-o’clock sectors of the circle shooting pics and video when the helicopter was overhead and should have been in the aerial shot, but I’m not in the image shown at top of this post.
@Tom – They took a lot of overhead pics – check the “see more aerial photos here” link in the story. Here it is as well:
http://www.pixoasis.com/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album08&id=Hands_X_Sand_1
There’s a certain irony to an anti-oil protest using a helicopter for aerial photography, no?
🙂
COOL!
Time lapse of the event here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianjw/4736294601/
@ Sam-This event was organized for little money at the grassroots as have the others.( Good on ya’ Brad!) The helicopter has always been a little 2 place not a big fume belching Bell turbine. I doubt a balloon or kite would be useful with the winds. I think the real irony is this country still does not get it and some folks want more drilling instead of alternatives, the same folks being oiled.
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Jay Higgins (Cliff Robertson) to Joseph Turner-(Robert Redford)
“No. It’s simple economics. Today it’s oil right? In years it will be food, plutonium and maybe even sooner. What do you think the people will want us to do then? Ask them. Now or then, ask them.Ask them when they’re running out. Ask them when there’s no heat and they’re cold. Ask them when their engines stop. Ask them when people who have never known hunger start to go hungry. Want to know something? They won’t want us to ask them. They’ll want us to get it for them.”
3 Days of the Condor with Robert Redford- year- 1975
If you are a supporter of an oil protest I would consider downplaying the great distances participants drove in order to take part in this event.