Cape Downwinders amped up their campaign to shut down the aging Pilgrim nuclear power plant with a Mad As Hell Mother’s Day Rumble on May 10. “Bring food, noisemakers and all your frustrations – We will make racket” announced the flyer for the event, which began with a picnic and rally at White Horse Beach on the western shore of Cape Cod Bay, next to the 42-year-old reactor. There was song, drumming, three original poems about Pilgrim by Cape resident Marge Piercy, and an update on the shut-down effort in the wake of two reactor shutdowns last winter due to storm threats and damage, including one emergency scram.
It was the fourth annual Mother’s Day protest by Downwinders, and again ended with a walk to the plant gate where they raised a ruckus of drumming, honking and chanting. Police warned them not to cross the road towards the plant entrance, but soon Elaine Dickinson (pictured) and Paul Rifkin crossed and walked slowly toward the police line. They were arrested for trespass, cited and released with a July 15 court date.
For more information, visit www.madownwinders.org