5 Arrested in Protest Against Occidental

Five environmentalists protesting Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s plan to build an oil pipeline in Colombia were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of trespassing and vandalism.

Activists from Amazon Watch and Action Resource Center splashed fake blood on the exterior of the oil company’s headquarters and carried a “pipeline” of eight oil barrels welded together into the lobby of the building, located in the 10000 block of Wilshire Boulevard, said Sgt. William Guerrero of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Sealed inside the barrels were three activists who had to be extricated by the Los Angeles Fire Department, Guerrero said.

At the same time, two demonstrators rappelled from the Oppenheimer Tower across the street and unfurled a 1,500-square-foot banner protesting Occidental’s plan to build an oil pipeline through the homeland of the U’wa Indians.

More than 75 law enforcement officers were sent to the scene in response to the 11 a.m. demonstration, snarling traffic along the boulevard until after 3 p.m., when the climbers surrendered to authorities.

Atossa Soltani, the director of Amazon Watch, said her group had asked Occidental to “formally and indefinitely suspend” the pipeline project.

Occidental officials could not be reached for comment.