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Greenpeace Takes Mount Rushmore: Why 11 Climbers Were Willing to Risk Arrest
It’s 8:45 a.m., and 11 Greenpeace activists, loaded with climbing gear and a long, heavy banner have made their way up to the top of Mount Rushmore. So far, security hasn’t detected them. Still, they’re whispering and keeping to the shadows.
Down at the tourist center, the wind is just starting to pick up, but 500 feet up the mountain, the gusts are already fierce.
None of the climbers has ever been here before. They know the national park has its own climbing team with established rope anchors on the monument. They intend to find those anchors and use them.
“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” one whispers into the camera.
10 a.m. Go time.
If you've ever wondered what it takes to hang one of those massive Greenpeace banners, the video shows it up close and in detail as the climbers unfurl a 65-by-35-foot banner next to Lincoln's face, with the wind whipping the banner like a giant sail and two climbers being slammed into the rock mountainside as they try to keep it in place.
“America Honors Leaders,
Not Politicians. Stop Global Warming,” the banner reads.
Greenpeace planned the July 8 Rushmore action and the take-over of four coal plants in Italy to coincide with the G8 summit, where the world's most-polluting countries were considering a declaration to keep the global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius. In Congress, the U.S. Senate had just started discussing climate legislation, following a serious weakening in the House of the Waxman-Markey climate bill by politicians demanding concessions for their home-state industries.
The Rushmore banner was a message to President Obama that the time to get tough about true climate action and to show leadership on the issue is now.
After about an hour of holding the banner in place, the climbers rappelled to the ground, where sheriff’s deputies were waiting. The 11 were arrested and pleaded not guilty to federal misdemeanor charges of trespassing and climbing on Mount Rushmore. Trial is set for October. Each could face up to six months in jail.
Matt Leonard (below right, with banner), a veteran of about a dozen banner hangings and other direct actions with Greenpeace, was holding down the lower right corner of the banner. The 30-year-old activist talked to SolveClimate about the Mount Rushmore action and the message that Greenpeace is trying to send. He's been rock climbing for 10 years and worked in industrial rigging for concerts, but this was by far one of his windiest, toughest climbs.
What was going through your mind up there on the mountain?
We’re very well trained, very experienced. Safety is a big deal. This was a new one though. We didn’t know what we would face – none of us had ever been to the top of Mount Rushmore before. And you’re dealing with carrying a lot of weight and security. We were very vigilant about not damaging anything or creating a situation that would put anyone else in danger.
After you were arrested, what kind of response did you get from people on the ground?
There was a lot of mixed reaction. There was some heckling. We also got a lot of thumbs up from people as we were being escorted out.
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Greenpeace wanks
Greenpeace are nothing but a bunch of jerks and wanks only a complete idiot would have anything to do with these eco-freak idiots
GLOBAL WARMING IS POLITICAL SCAM
Funny how it was uncovered late 2009 that "Global Warming" was a hoax and a fraud being used only for political gain. Climate Gate, Al Gore caught photoshopping picture of Earth to make it look like "Global Warming" was real, it was on national news. These people are idiots.
Disregard for the truth
Your total disregard for truth is what's so scary about people who parrot this kind of statement. The only "hoax" that the climate emails you're talking about uncovered was the scam by well-funded fossil fuels industry supporters to try to prevent scientists from doing their jobs. If you actually read the emails, that's what you'll learn. Part of your responsibility as a citizen of a democracy is to understand what you intend to criticize rather than simply repeating the opinions you hear on talk radio.
Greenpeace is stark raving stupid
Anyone who would climb up on a american landmark and deface it with a stupid banner over something as fruadulent as GLOBAL WARMING are complete idiots
Greenpeace pests
All those GREENPEACE jerks are just a bunch of idiots and pests and only a complete idiot would have anything to do with these GREENPESTS
Greenpeace litter bugs
So greenpests think its okay to hang a banner on MT RUSHMORE to call attention to something thats not happening and yet they yell bloody murder about billboards blocking the sceinery ... I hope the judge puts them on a highway clean-up crew
the best way to get your
the best way to get your point across is to litter on a national monument..... wait that doesn't make much sense considering it was greenpeace now does it
I completely agree with what
I completely agree with what these activists did. Global warming is the biggest environmental problem threatening our world today. Acting to stop it is a serious moral issue. Greenpeace is right, President Obama needs to step up to be a leader on this issue. Climbing Mt. Rushmore was effective to draw worldwide attention to this. If that's what they felt it was necessary to do, to express this urgent need for action, more power to them. Those activists are brave and should be commended for standing up for all Americans and citizens of the world.
When I heard about what
When I heard about what Greenpeace did a couple weeks back at Mt. Rushmore, I couldn't have been more proud. It is up to all of us to urge President Obama to do the right thing by the climate. This isn't an issue we can wait on or play political games with - it is our future. How can we argue over some people hanging a banner on a national monument when we are seeing the effects of global warming all around us? It's time to wake up and actually do something about this crisis we face.
Thank goodness for those brave folks who were willing to risk arrest and display such an important and strong message. It definitely gave me the push I needed to play a bigger role in all of this, and I hope it does the same for our political leaders.
Wow!
Hearing about this action reminds me of the Civil Rights leaders who were willing to risk everything for the greater good.
Shrine of Democracy? It is indeed a great American symbol, and what these activists did was extremely patriotic. They were utilizing our given rights (right to protest, freedom of speech) in the face of the greatest challenge of our generation.
Democracy should be defined as the people participating in our political process, and they were doing just that.
I think protecting American people from climate catastrophe embodies American values much more than any monument ever could. American values run far deeper than that, and we're all going to have to work together to solve this crisis.
All the way from Michigan, we support you all!
One of the most sacred icons
One of the most sacred icons in American history? Give me a break. Mt. Rushmore was scraped out of mountains on land stolen from the native Americans and memorializes four dead men, who yes, happened to do great things, but do not embody the country.
We have defaced the Black Hills far more permanently with Mt. Rushmore than those 11 activists did with their temporary banner drop. Besides, didn't you read that the forest service has climbing routes on Mt. Rushmore anyway? This doesn't deface a national treasure any more than slapping an American flag on a t-shirt (or just about anything) does. This act was done with respect and class.
Understanding the impact of one's actions.....
As someone who grew up 5 miles from Mount Rushmore I have a very angered yet 1st amendment point of view about the actions taken here. Whether I agree or disagree with climate change issues, I still served honorably in the U.S. Army to help defend the freedoms of the people, so in this incident I understand that some of what makes this country great is the ability to raise our voices over concerns we have. BUT, to use the "SHRINE OF DEMOCRACY" as a leverage in your cause is simply deplorable, despicable, un-patriotic, and quite frankly an act of defacement against one of the most sacred icons of American history!!!! So while I may have an understanding to your feeling the need to do something "BIG" as a way of getting your message out, I feel you should ALL receive the MAXIMUM sentences that the law has for your acts AGAINST this INCREDIBLE historically known American Treasure!!!! HOW DARE YOU deface one of America's GREATEST symbols!!!!!! When one must degrade, defile, or in any way deface a national treasure to have their voice heard, then they are within their own right being as selfish as those you wish to rise against!!!!!! Every person involved in this planning procedure should be held accountable, and no American should condone such acts against our most precious historical treasures!!!
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