As the clock ticks down toward the groundbreaking for the I-69 NAFTA Superhighway, protesters have once again taken direct action to shut down the Gohmann Asphalt facility in Haubstadt, IN! This is the same yard where a lockdown took place on June 25, leading the company to file a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) against the one protester who was arrested that day.

Unfortunately, 15 people are now being held in jail indefinitely — when asked how long the activists would be held, sheriffs at the jail said “at this point, forever.”

On the morning of July 14, five I-69 opponents locked themselves together in a circle at the yard’s gate, demanding that Gohmann A&C (primary contractor with the Indiana Department of Transportation for the construction of the first 1.77 miles of Section 1 of I-69) drop all work on the highway and abandon the SLAPP. Fifteen people were arrested. All are engaged in jail solidarity — refusing to give their names or to cooperate with the booking process.

Call the Gibson County Jail at (812) 385-3496 to demand the release of all 15!!!

The battle against I-69 is just getting started. As one person involved in the fight says:

“We see the start of construction as great opportunity, one for us to respond in intensified struggle. It takes a long time to build a road, especially when there’s only enough money for the first two miles. We’re looking at a fight for at least the next several years, one in which we make it a long hard road for them.”
(from an article on the current status of the struggle; emphasis added).

Now is the time to decisively stop the I-69 Corridor of the Future: Contact Roadblock Earth First! to join the struggle today! Even if you can’t travel to Indiana, you can certainly take action on the July 28 National Day of Mobilization. There are many corporations involved with the planning and construction of I-69 in Southern Indiana, Texas, and other states where construction has not started yet (Kentucky, Tennesee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana) — and they have offices everywhere.

UPDATE (7-17-08): All 15 protesters have now been released. However, referrals to civil and criminal lawyers are still needed, as well as money for legal fees. Contact Roadblock EF! to help.