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Protesters blast BP, corporate America

Peter Rodriguez of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, protest against the spill of BP oil in the Gulf of Mexico at the BP gas station on Main St in downtown Dayton Tuesday, May 25. Tara Colon, also with the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, says

Staff photo by Teesha McClam Peter Rodriguez of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, protest against the spill of BP oil in the Gulf of Mexico at the BP gas station on Main St in downtown Dayton Tuesday, May 25. Tara Colon, also with the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, says "Don't spend money with irresponsible companies."

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By Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer Updated 10:05 AM Wednesday, May 26, 2010

DAYTON — A group of protesters stood outside a downtown BP station late Tuesday afternoon, May 25, to blast BP for its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to raise awareness of what they called corporate America’s role in poverty, pollution and social injustice.

The dozen protesters staged outside the BP at South Main and Washington streets included members from the Miami Valley Full Employment Council and a national group marching across America on its way to the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit June 21.

“We’re here to build a grassroots movement for popular power, to take power back to the people and away from the corporations,” said Jeff Roussett, 24, of Philadelphia, a member of the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign.

Logan Martinez of Dayton, coordinator for the Miami Valley Full Employment Council, said BP’s oil spill, now more than a month old, is just the latest example of a corporate America run amok and the federal government not doing enough to reign it in.

“We feel like we’re here for justice and the corporations are totally not taking care of their people, they’re not taking care of the environment; it’s all expendable and the American people are asleep at the wheel,” Martinez said.

Some passing motorists honked; others used hand gestures, positive and negative, to show their feelings. The protest, replete with signs reading “Boycott BP,” lasted less than an hour.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7408 or agottschlich@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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