Chevron Kicks Out Activists From Its Marathon Expo

A group of marathon runners were kicked out and banned from the Chevron Marathon Expo for displaying material that was critical of the oil company, but one of the runners tells Hair Balls that the group is continuing as planned.

“We are still going to, at least try to, run the race on Sunday. We are completely undeterred,” says Briana Cotter, a member of the Rainforest Action Network. “Chevron puts on the marathon so they can pretend like they care about the community, but the reality is that communities all over the world are suffering, and even dying, because of Chevron’s behaviors.”

The runners from Rainforest Action Network — the main office is in San Francisco — are participating in the marathon on behalf of Emergildo Crillo, an Ecuadorean man who they believe is dying, along with his family, from the billions of gallons of toxic sludge that has been allegedly dumped in the rainforest during the last three decades. Chevron is involved in a court battle in Ecuador because of the sludge.

Houston Press