14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Sixteen I-69 protestors arrested

Sixteen I-69 protestors arrested

Posted by Mike Mardis

Sixteen people were arrested during an early morning I-69 protest in Gibson County.

The Gibson County Sheriff said the protesters were blocking the entrance to the Gohmann Asphalt Plant in Haubstadt.

Authorities say five of the protestors were chained together in a device called a Sleeping Dragon and a state police team was called in to remove the chains, a process that took about five hours.

The plant has the contract for the first section of the I-69 extension project.

Andy Dietrick, Indiana Department if Transportation Spokesperson, said the protests are harming an Indiana business.

"It really didn't have to do with I-69 this time," Dietrick said. "It could have been asphalt going to your driveway or some school parking lot. So these folks are keeping an Indiana business from doing their business."

There will be an area for protestors across the street from The Centre during Wednesday's groundbreaking.

The private events starts at 10:30 a.m.