Protesters arrested at Alpha Natural Resources

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Police have arrested eight mountaintop removal mining protesters for trespassing at Alpha Natural Resources headquarters in Bristol, Virginia.

Protesters from Mountain Justice and Radical Action for Mountains and People’s Survival say they blocked the entrance to Alpha for two hours Friday. They protested the opening of two new mines on Coal River Mountain in southern West Virginia.

Alpha spokesman Steve Hawkins says the protest didn’t prevent anyone from getting to work.

Bristol Police Department Lt. Vic Jordan says the protesters were arrested without incident. Several protesters locked themselves together. Another climbed a flagpole and hung a flag saying, “Save Coal River Mountain.”

Radical Action for Mountain Peoples’ Survival protesters were arrested in May 2013 after blocking the road leading to Alpha.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up