Thursday night, Shell Oil’s controversial icebreaker MSV Fennica weaved through the nine protesters who hung from the St. Johns Bridge.
Greenpeace’s protesters aimed to block a key vessel in Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet from leaving Portland’s port, according to the Guardian.
.@Greenpeace protesters claim symbolic victory as Shell Oil ship leaves Portland #ShellNoPDX http://t.co/9hZ6SmAEnr pic.twitter.com/tZUs6joP46
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) July 31, 2015
Oregon Live reports:
After winning an early morning game of chicken with the ship, Greenpeace protesters suspended from the bridge and in kayaks and canoes on the river were left disappointed. Thirteen of them had spent the better part of 40 hours in climbers slings and on portable platforms.
“Everybody’s hearts are broken,” Greenpeace USA spokeswoman Cassady Sharp told Oregon Live.
Philip Fensterer of North Portland noticed that two protesters were missing from the bridge when he arrived at Cathedral Park. At that moment, he said he knew their fight was lost.
“It was frustrating and heartbreaking,” he told Oregon Live.
Before the ship passed through the protesters, they spent 36 hours on slings and small platforms about 100 feet above the water. Others were in kayaks in the water.