Brief
Hundreds Link Arms on Santa Barbara Beach to Protest Offshore Oil Drilling
The protest, called “Hands Across the Sand,” drew local environmental groups and a 16‑year‑old activist to raise awareness of the state’s oil policy.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Hundreds of anti‑oil activists linked arms on West Beach in Santa Barbara on Saturday for a human‑chain protest called “Hands Across the Sand.” The demonstration was held to oppose offshore oil drilling and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act, which was passed in 1976 to protect public beach access and natural resources.
Participants included members of the Fearless Grandmothers, Surfrider Foundation, Sea League and Women’s March. The event was founded in 2009 by Surfrider member Dave Rauschkolb and has since become a nationwide campaign. A tribal leader, Toni Cordero, urged attendees to consider the ancestral lands of the Chumash people. A 16‑year‑old activist, Ethan Maday, spoke about the need to move beyond “mere land acknowledgement” and criticized the continued reliance on oil.
Key facts
- Hundreds of anti‑oil activists linked arms on West Beach in Santa Barbara on Saturday (nypost.com)
- The protest was held to oppose offshore oil drilling and mark the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act (nypost.com)
- Participants included members of the Fearless Grandmothers, Surfrider Foundation, Sea League and Women’s March (nypost.com)
- The event was founded in 2009 by Surfrider member Dave Rauschkolb (nypost.com)
- Tribal leader Toni Cordero urged attendees to consider the ancestral lands of the Chumash people (nypost.com)
- 16‑year‑old activist Ethan Maday spoke about the need to move beyond “mere land acknowledgement” (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Hundreds of lefties link arms for bizarre ‘hands across the sand’ protest against California oil drilling”
