Hundreds of people lined up along the shore line in San Diego holding hands as a protest against off shore drilling at noon on Saturday. The demonstration was mirrored on other beaches across the nation, including protestors in Florida along the panhandle.
The organizers of the protests, "Hands Across the Sand" said thousands of people participated in more than 800 related events including 16 in San Diego County.
Surfrider Foundation’s San Diego chapter, organized a demonstration at Pacific Beach that drew more than 200 people. Similar events took place in Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad, and La Jolla.
A protest at Crystal Pier was attended by U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, D- San Diego.
"We can't rely on oil any longer," Davis said. "We have to make sure it doesn't foul our beaches and hurt our next generations."
Hands Across the Sand's aim to convince leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.
"The message is simple. No offshore drilling," Jossta told the North Couny Times. "This oil spill in the Gulf ought to wake people up. The Gulf could become a dead zone. It's going to take decades to clean that up. I don't want it happening anywhere."
Hands Across the Sand was founded by Dave Raushchkolb, a restaurant owner in Seaside, Fla. Two months later the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded.
"No one industry should be able to place entire coastal economies and marine environments at risk," said Rauschkolb.
Hands Across the Sand
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