Riot police attacking tar sands protesters in Burlington, VT, July 29, 2012

Burlington, VT riot police fired pepper spray and rubber bullets at protesters nonviolently blocking traffic at a tar sands protest on Sunday.

The demonstrators were protesting against a proposed pipeline to transport tar sands oil from Alberta across northern New England. The protests took place during the 36th annual conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers.

“It’s clear the governors and premiers are meeting to talk about trade policy, energy and infrastructure,” said Avery Pittman, spokeswoman for the protest groups. “They’re definitely prioritizing profits and money-making over the needs of the people or the impact these proposals will have on us.”