-Crossposted at WeArePowershift.org
Students at the College of William and Mary assembled at a Bank of America location in Williamsburg, VA on May 1 to protest the bank’s funding of mountaintop removal. Alongside local activists, the students waved signs and chanted outside the building, while participants with Bank of America cards went inside to close their accounts. A couple members of the group simulateneously handed out fliers at nearby businesses. As the location was along a major thoroughfare, the protesters frequently heard supportive honks from passing cars and observed locals curiously reading their signs. After spending a couple hours spreading awareness, the activists dispersed, pleased with their work and eager to do more.
Scott Nordstrom, one of the event’s organizers, stated that students on campus are “very enthusiastic” about spreading awareness of the bank’s activities and ending mountaintop removal. Regarding the effort to have students close their accounts, he said, “We found a large number of people on campus who have Bank of America accounts who were disgusted to hear about their coal policies. There are people on campus who are considering closing their accounts, and I want Bank of America to know this.”
Over the last two years, the “Bank of Coal” has supplied the coal mining industry with $4.3 billion (found in RAN’s Bank of America briefing here: http://ran.org/boa-briefing). It also specifically funds companies engaged in the practice of mountaintop removal. Passionate about ending mountaintop removal, and buoyed by last Tuesday’s successful protest, the William and Mary students hope to continue their campaign on Bank of America in the fall.
