ELLISTON, Va. – Three people from out of state are in custody after they used “sleeping dragons” to halt construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Elliston Monday morning.
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Virginia State Police responded to the area at 10:45 a.m. for the report of 25 protestors at a MVP worksite on Lafayette Road, authorities said.
When police arrived, we’re told the protestors quickly dispersed, leaving three behind.
Police said those three people used “sleeping dragons” to halt construction. In an earlier report, VSP described these devices as something used by activists to secure themselves together and/or to an object, typically made out of PVC pipe or metal, in which a person slips their arms into the pipe and then handcuffs their wrists inside.
The Virginia State Police Specialized Extraction Team responded to the scene and removed the protesters from the pipeline equipment, authorities said.
Now, 39-year-old Tara Houska of Minnesota, 37-year-old Emily Adamski of California, and 31-year-old Louisa Kornblatt of New York are facing charges, according to VSP. They are as follows:
- Houska: Trespassing
- Adamski: Trespassing and obstruction
- Kornblatt: Tresspassing, obstruction, and obstruct free passage of others
To see more of our coverage on the MVP, click here.