Summary: On Sunday July 29th, hundreds of people turned out in Burlington VT to protest a closed door conference of governors and premiers from New England and Canada. Groups from across the region came together to tell elected officials loud and clear that governments must be accountable and transparent, and must both protect our human rights as well as the environment. Many groups were there to speak out against the tar sands pipeline proposed to be built across New England, and to draw connections between climate change and the struggle for human rights. Participants created a human oil spill in front of the hotel where the conference was happening, to draw attention to the danger of tar sands oil. Later in the afternoon, in a dramatic turn of events, the Burlington police used tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters attempting to block the buses carrying the governors from leaving the hotel. In contrast to the Governor’s Conference, the upcoming People’s Convention for Human Rights offers a space for people to envision and articulate a better world. Put People First Radio is a project of the People’s Media Project. For more information, go to www.workerscenter.org/media/radio For more information on the VT People's Convention for Human Rights, go to www.vtpeoplesconvention.org
