(Photo courtesy of Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune)
The Salt Lake Tribune reports this week that quote, Frustration with the partial federal shutdown literally spilled over the gates of Zion National Park on Saturday morning, with 15 protesters entering despite rangers’ objections. James Milligan is the manager of Springdale’s Zion Outfitter store, and he helped organize “Occupy Zion.” It’s part of a broader social media effort dubbed “Occupy National Parks” on Facebook and #breakthebarrier on Twitter.
James said, quote, “Obviously, I’m not too happy about it. This shop is my livelihood here, and I haven’t had a customer in a week. Rangers will get their backpay, but what will people in these communities get?”
James and his crew walked up the trail for two hours filling a garbage bag with the trash they picked up along the way. Federal Park Rangers with guns took photos of the trespassers and warned that they might receive fines in the mail. A government spokeswoman said that attempts to enter the park, quote, “are extremely taxing on us. We just don’t have the staff. I really hope it doesn’t become a trend.” She said that instead, the protesters should write their congressmen.
h/t http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/56963139-90/park-milligan-zion-fence.html.csp