Ruckus supported International Rivers in an action at Home Depot’s annual Shareholder’s meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 28, 2009.
After spreading campaign posters all over the meeting venue the night before, the action team deployed a large balloon banner right in front of the Shareholder meeting, which proclaimed, "DAM Home Depot: Save Patagonia’s Rivers".
Other team members managed to make it inside the venue to take the stage and get the campaign’s message out to shareholders within the meeting.
From International Rivers campaigner Gary Graham Hughes’ blog about the action:
"At the meeting itself, we were successful in negotiating with the local authorities the public space necessary to fly our jovial balloon banner, while several of us quietly entered the meeting. Ultimately, one of our affinity group was able to display a banner on stage during the “state of the business” (i.e. sales are down) speech of Home Depot CEO Frank Blake, before being rapidly escorted from the meeting. This was a lively moment in an otherwise remarkably undemocratic morning of corporate process―every single shareholder resolution was resisted by the company or the board of directors, and ultimately voted down, the room awash in the according shade of orange. "
International Rivers’ campaign against Home Depot is based on the company’s trafficking in wood products manufactured by Chilean economic interests that promote the damming of pristine river ecosystems in Chile’s Patagonia.
Action Media:
Home Depot Shareholder’s Meeting Draws Protest on Georgia News GPB
The Home Depot and Patagonia: Excuses Grow Thin on International Rivers Blog
Home Depot en medio de una controversia en la Patagonia chilena on Atlanta Latino
Home Depot uses YouTube as PR Tool on ajc.com