Despite wind, rain and icy conditions, hundreds of protesters against the Raven Coal Mine showed up for the arrival of the water dragon which paraded off the ferry from Denman Island yesterday. I counted at least 400 people at the protest site.

There was a lot of imagination and powerful messages against Compliance Coal on the protest signs as follows:

"Think - Do They Really Care about Your Life? No to Coal Mining."
"Welcome to the Comox Valley: future home of poor socio-economic conditions".
"No Coal is Clean Coal"
"Clean Water No Coal"
"Coal Exports BC's Shame"
"No means No"
"Clean Water" (with drawings of brightly-coloured salmon)
"Support the Shellfish"
"Ravin' Against Raven" (with a prominent drawing of a raven)

One very impressive youth was dressed up as the grim reaper with a ghoulish blue mask carried a sign with a skull and crossbones with "NO COAL".

What impressed me most was that all age groups - young adults, children and their parents -- were represented along with well-established environmental leaders such as Des Kennedy, John Synder, Mike Bell, Gwyn Frayne, Bunny Shannon, Cam Connor and Mike Morrell . Equally impressive was the attitude of the protesters who chanted "Solidarity, not Compliance", showing heart-felt determination not to return to the Dickensian times of burning dirty coal.

According to Fireweed of the local Water Dragon Alliance, yesterday's rally was a demonstration of solidarity with those protesting against coal around the world.