At 6:47 a.m. today Troop B of the Massachusetts State Police was notified by private security officers working at the gas pipeline extension project in Sandisfield of two groups of protestors. The protestors, who were peaceful, were blocking Cold Spring Road at South Beech Plain Road, as well as an access road, in the work area. The protestors stated to security they were refusing to leave and understood that would face arrest.

Troopers responded and notified both groups of protestors that they had to disperse. When the 10 protestors refused repeated requests to disperse, they were arrested. Those arrested for trespassing were as follow.

IRVINE SOBLEMAN, 67, of Northampton; ELLEN M. GRAVES, 76, of West Springfield; PATRICIA P. WIELAND, 73, of Northampton; HARRIET A. NESTEL, 78, of Athol; AMANDA L. NASH, 58, of Gloucester; ERIK W. BURCROFF, 57, of Plainfield; PRISCILLA LYNCH, 65, of Conway; MARY E. KEHLER, 70, of Colrain; BONNER J. McALLISTER, 68, of Monterey; and SHERRILL HOGEN, 78, of Charlemont.

The arrestees were transported to the Berkshire Sheriff’s Department to be booked. They were expected to be released, most likely on personal recognizance, and ordered to appear in court for arraignment in the near future.

The roadways were reopened by 9:10 a.m.

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