Protesters and elected officials say “No, Baby, No” to off-shore oil drilling in Florida

Over 2,500 activists gathered on beaches from Clearwater to Fort DeSoto in part of a statewide protest of off-shore oil drilling on Saturday. In an event called Hands Across the Sand, crowds of people from all backgrounds and political leanings joined together to oppose the possibility of oil drilling as near as 3-10 miles off Florida’s coast.

In a bi-partisan press conference before the protest, Republicans and Democrats united with a common message—preserve Florida’s beaches to preserve Florida’s economy.

“There is no good reason to risk our economy," U.S. Senator Bill Nelson wrote in a statement read by his Regional Director Shahra Anderson. He said it involves too many risks for an outcome that will do nothing to lower the price of gas.

This article appears in Feb 10-16, 2010.