On Thursday July 10th, there was a protest against the fact that trains carrying Bakkan tar sands “oil” are finding their way through the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago.
This protest was organized by Debra Michaud of Tar Sands Free Midwest.
The protesters were there because of their concern that an explosive train derailment could devastate the the Pilsen neighborhood where these trains regularly pass through. Some say as many as three times a day these trains pass within Chicago proper. There is also concern that the Chicago’s Fire Department may not be up to the task of handling an explosive derailment situation. Additionally, there is great concern that the tanker cars involved are not nearly as secure as one would expect. It has been recommended that the tanker cars being used be replaced, but that is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Though the protesters were small in number, there has been a bit of press about the gathering.
The Sun Times is linked to here:
For more information on the safety of these tanker cars, come out to the event this Wednesday at Revolution Books
7-9pm
1103 North Ashland