Activists blockade Shell in a new way

Anti-Shell activists are engaging Seattle yet again with a protest, but they won’t be seen lining the streets with signs or marching around the Port of Seattle.

Instead of stalling traffic, they are stalling business with an electronic blockade. Companies doing business with Shell as it prepares its Polar Pioneer oil drilling rig at the Port of Seattle will experience their phone lines constantly ringing and their email boxes rapidly fill up.

“If entities in Seattle continue to aid Shell, through action or inaction, in outfitting the Polar Pioneer for its arctic drilling mission, we will use our right to freedom of speech to bring their day-to-day business to a halt,” the Facebook event post states.

Related: Protesters block Terminal 5 at Port of Seattle

Activist are steering participants to a website where they have posted five organizations that do business with Shell. Each organization has multiple phone numbers and emails for protesters to slam with calls and messages from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday.

“It’s time!” online instructions for the protest state. “These numbers are listed in order of importance. Please call each number and let the representative know that you disagree with their organization’s decision to help Royal Dutch Shell drill in the Arctic Ocean. If you reach voicemail, please leave a polite message. If they have automated the line, move on to the next number when you’re sure there is not an option to reach a representative or leave a message. Good luck, and thank you for calling!”

Included on the list is International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19, Jones Stevedoring (a shipping services company), Carlile Trucking, Incident Catering Services, and Foss Maritime Company. Activist claim that each organization is doing business with Shell to support the Polar Pioneer.

Instructions ask participants to write their own emails, or to copy and paste a pre-written letter.

“Your company or organization is currently engaged in aiding the outfitting of the Polar Pioneer and its support fleet for the purpose of drilling for oil in the Arctic. Please stop. The consequences are not worth any possible short term gain,” the pre-written letter states.

Activists with ShellNo also organized a picket event at Terminal 5 Monday evening.