Dozens of climate activists arrested during protest at coal-fired power plant in Bow

Dozens of climate activists were arrested Saturday after trespassing at Merrimack Station in Bow.More than 200 protesters gathered to rally and call for the coal-fired power plant to be shut down. It followed a week of climate demonstrations worldwide.“There's a coalition of a lot of different organizations that are here today to shut down this power plant,” said Sam Tardiff of 350 NH Action/NH Youth Movement. “The time has come. It's 2019. We shouldn't be burning coal anymore.”Those arrested were just a portion of the protesters.“I'm concerned about climate change. I'm concerned about what scientists are saying about our future and the future for my kids,” said Mary Fite of Bow. Granite Shore Power, which owns Merrimack Station, said in a statement: "We respect and support the right of any person to express his or her views. Unfortunately, today's protest and trespassing was more about making a scene and breaking the law than about conveying an informed point of view." The protesters said they also want elected officials to hear their message.“If our elected officials want to stay in power, they better align with our values and fight back against climate change, because this is our future,” said Tardiff. Granite Shore Power says that Merrimack Station is an important part of the local economy and that the plant has drastically decreased carbon emissions, only running a fraction of the amount it used to.

Dozens of climate activists were arrested Saturday after trespassing at Merrimack Station in Bow.

More than 200 protesters gathered to rally and call for the coal-fired power plant to be shut down. It followed a week of climate demonstrations worldwide.


“There's a coalition of a lot of different organizations that are here today to shut down this power plant,” said Sam Tardiff of 350 NH Action/NH Youth Movement. “The time has come. It's 2019. We shouldn't be burning coal anymore.”

Those arrested were just a portion of the protesters.

“I'm concerned about climate change. I'm concerned about what scientists are saying about our future and the future for my kids,” said Mary Fite of Bow.

Granite Shore Power, which owns Merrimack Station, said in a statement: "We respect and support the right of any person to express his or her views. Unfortunately, today's protest and trespassing was more about making a scene and breaking the law than about conveying an informed point of view."

The protesters said they also want elected officials to hear their message.

“If our elected officials want to stay in power, they better align with our values and fight back against climate change, because this is our future,” said Tardiff.

Granite Shore Power says that Merrimack Station is an important part of the local economy and that the plant has drastically decreased carbon emissions, only running a fraction of the amount it used to.