BU Student, 7 Others Arrested For Protesting TransCanada Pipeline

A BU student and several other Boston-area college students were arrested on Monday night while protesting at TransCanada's Westborough, MA office by chaining themselves together and super-gluing their hands.

The group was protesting the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, according to their website.

"The Keystone XL, which runs from Canada to Texas, threatens a stable future by perpetuating our oil addiction," said Devyn Powell, one of the protestors, in a prepared statement. "Chaining myself to my seven friends is a last resort after our government, heavily influenced by corporate fossil fuel interests, has proved unable to take action against this deadly project."

"The fossil fuel industry is knowingly sacrificing our future for its profits," Powell wrote. "I have decided that I need to fight the injustice, irresponsibility, and immorality of their actions by using all the nonviolent means of protest available to me... We are not going to passively let this happen."

The Westborough Police Chief, Alan Gordon, said in a statement that the eight students had chained themselves together at their ankles and waists, and had super-glued their hands together. 

"A locksmith was called and he was able to unlock their ankles," Gordon said. "The fire department assisted in removing the superglue from their hands."

One suspect was able to be freed from the chain around his waist, while the seven others were transported to the police station chained together. A key was finally brought to the police station at to unlock the rest of the waist padlocks.

Police will charge all eight with disorderly person, disturbing the peace and trespassing, Gordon said. They face arraignment Wednesday morning in Westborough District Court.

Police arrested Ben Thompson, 22, a BU Ph.D. student from New Hampshire, Emily Edgerly, 20, a Tufts sophomore, Devyn Powell, 20, a Tufts student, Lisa Purdy, 20, a junior at Brandeis, Shea Riester, 22, a recent graduate of Brandeis from Brighton, Ben Trolio, a senior at the University of New Hampshire, Alison Welton, 20, a student at Harvard, and Dorian Wiliams, 20, a senior at Brandeis.