WATCH: Fred Hartman Bridge Protest by Greenpeace

hartman bridge protest

Twitter Protesters on the Hartman bridge.

Greenpeace protesters suspended themselves from the Fred Hartman bridge in Baytown, Texas in advance of the Democratic debate, and video showed them dangling from the thoroughfare. You can watch some of that video later in this article. They’re protesting the use of fossil fuels.

The protest involves 22 protesters; half of those suspended themselves via harnesses over the Houston Ship Channel, according to Fox26. Some traffic in the ship channel was stopped.

“@HCSOTexas is aware of a public demonstration currently underway at the Fred Hartman bridge in East Harris County. We are actively monitoring the situation with other public safety partners,” the Harris County Sheriff wrote.

Greenpeace posted a video showing a bird’s eye view from the bridge. “We’re in the heart of the fossil fuel industry (the largest oil export channel in the US) to confront Trump & the oil industry,” the group wrote on Twitter, indicating it’s supporting the Green New Deal.

The Office of Homeland Security and Management indicated, “We are currently monitoring the situation occurring on the Fred Hartman Bridge with our local and public safety partners in the area. Stay tuned for updates.”

Here’s video of the suspended protesters:


Here’s another view:


Greenpeace wrote on Twitter, “HAPPENING NOW: Greenpeace activists are in Houston blocking the largest oil export channel in the country to confront the oil industry. Join the action with us! RT to resist Trump and the oil industry! #PeopleVsOil.”


KHOU-TV reported on September 12, 2019 that the protest was blocking a northbound lane on the bridge. Greenpeace also tweeted, “BREAKING: We’re in Houston shutting down the largest oil export channel in the country to resist Trump & the oil industry for fueling this #ClimateCrisis. It’s time to end the age of oil. #PeopleVsOil.”

Greenpeace shared a link to a website urging people to join in support of the Green New Deal.


2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Take the Stage in Houston

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These are the candidates who will appear on stage at the September 12, 2019 Democratic presidential debate: Former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former Obama Housing Secretary Julián Castro; former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

What time is the 2020 Democratic presidential debate on? It will air from 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC and Univision. It’s the third presidential debate, and all eyes will be on Joe Biden as challengers try to knock him off his perceived frontrunner’s perch. According to NPR, to get into this debate, candidates needed to demonstrate that they had “2% in at least four Democratic polls, either nationally or in early states, as well as 130,000 donors from at least 20 states and at least 400 in each state.”

The debate will be held at Texas Southern University. The protesters are clearly hoping to make climate change the defining issue – or at least a key one – of the 2020 presidential election.

READ NEXT: 2020 Democratic Debate Schedule.