Protesters Shut Down Banks

PROTESTERS TARGETED CHASE BRANCHES IN SEATTLE TO MAKE
A STATEMENT ABOUT CHASE BANK'S INVESTMENT INTO THE DAKOTA
ACCESS PIPELINE, AND OTHER PIPELINES THAT, OF COURSE,
ACTIVISTS ARE VERY AGAINST, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, AND
ALSO DRINKING WATER ISSUES.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE PROTESTS WORKED;
SEVERAL BRANCHES HAD TO SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT.
POLICE SAID 26 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED BY LATE AFTERNOON.
ACTIVISTS SAID THEY DISRUPTED OPERATIONS AT 11
CHASE BRANCHES, AND TWO OTHER BRANCHES CLOSED AS WELL.
ONE INDIVIDUAL PROTESTING SAID, "I HAVE A PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A LIVABLE CLIMATE."
SO THAT IS OF COURSE WHAT ALL OF THESE PROTESTERS ARE VERY
CONCERNED WITH, AND I THINK THAT ACTIVISTS ARE REALIZING THAT IT
IS ONE THING TO GO AFTER THOSE WHO ARE CONSTRUCTING THE
PIPELINE, AND THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE PIPELINE; IT'S ALSO
VERY EFFECTIVE TO GO AFTER THE BANKS THAT ARE FUNDING THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THESE PIPELINES.
CHASE BANK HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THEM.
I THINK IT IS SUCH AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY, I THINK THEY TOOK
IT FROM ME, EXCEPT I'VE NEVER SAID IT ON AIR SO I DON'T
HOW THEY READ MY MIND.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES, THAT WE CAN ROLL AS CENK
MAKES HIS POINT.
I THINK THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS TOWARDS BUSINESSES ARE
EFFECTIVE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEM,
AND I LIKE THAT IT WAS KIND OF A JOVIAL SPIRIT, THAT THEY
SANG SONGS, AND TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MATTERED TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, IF POSSIBLE, WHAT I WOULD WANT IS A SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS TO GO TO THESE, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCOUNTANT DOWN THE STREET,
YOUR DENTIST, TO GO TO THESE PROTESTS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU
TOUCH THEIR POCKETBOOKS, THAT'S WHEN YOU GET REAL CHANGE.
AND SO, IT'S ONE THING TO DO A PROTEST OUT IN THE STREETS,
WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND IT
SHOWS PEOPLE THAT YOU CARE, BUT WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT IN A
WAY THAT AFFECTS THEIR BUSINESS, AND AFFECTS THEIR BOTTOM
LINE, THAT IS THE TIME THAT CORPORATIONS PAY ATTENTION.
THAT'S RIGHT, AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE INVESTING THAT
THEY DO, THAT CHASE DOES, AND WHAT THESE BIG BANKS DO ON
ISSUES INVOLVING THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE, OR THE DAKOTA ACCESS
PIPELINE, THAT IS ACTUALLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN IT
COMES TO THEIR FINANCES.
THEY MAKE MONEY IN OTHER WAYS, SO, YOU KNOW, DIVESTING FROM
THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, OR PREVENTING YOURSELF FROM
INVESTING IN THE STEPS OF PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE IS
ACTUALLY A SAVVY MOVE WHEN YOU ARE THESE BANKS, SO IF YOU WANT
TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THESE PROTESTS HAVE MADE AN
IMPACT, THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE.
IN FACT, ING GROUP, A DUTCH BANK, AGREED TO SELL $120
MILLION SHARE FOR THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.
AND GREECE ñ AND GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS ARE ALSO PROTESTING
CREDIT SUISSE.
IF YOU GO PROTEST THE PIPELINE ITSELF, WELL, THAT IS THEIR
BREAD AND BUTTER AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO CHANGE
THEIR POSITION ON WHERE THEY MAKE ALL THEIR MONEY.
BUT FOR THE BANKS, THESE PIPELINE INVESTMENTS ARE
ACTUALLY A SMALL PART OF THEIR BUSINESS, SO IT'S EASIER TO
MOVE THEM ON THIS ISSUE.
SO, I THINK THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT, AND THE BANKS OUR WHERE
THE MONEY IS, SO REALLY INTERESTING BEGINNING, I THINK
THAT THESE PROTESTS ARE GOING TO TAKE ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.
I THINK IT'S GOOD TO GET MUCH MUCH LARGER.
SO, IF THE OTHER SIDE THINKS THAT THIS IS NO BIG DEAL, WHAT
YOU JUST SAW WAS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG; MY SUGGESTION IS
TO NOT RUN INTO THE ICEBERG.
BUT PEOPLE HAVE IGNORED THAT DIGESTION BEFORE.
WE WANT TO SHOW THE BANKS THAT IT IS A RISKY INVESTMENT,
SO JUST AVOID IT.

Protesters Shut Down Banks

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