By Graham Shelby, Kentucky Public Radio
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- – Fourteen protesters ended their three-day sit-in at Governor Steve Beshear's office Monday. And while the protesters didn't get the concessions they wanted from the governor, they say the effort was worthwhile, in part because of the response they received from the public.
The group, known as Kentucky Rising, occupied the governor's office from Friday morning through Monday morning to protest Beshear's support for the mining process commonly called mountaintop removal.
"We've heard from people in Argentina, Germany, all over the United States. 500 farmers in Vermont.signed their names to a letter of support and sent it. Churches all over the south reported they were holding prayer services for them," says author and group spokesman Silas House.
The protesters emerged to a boisterous welcome from the roughly 1,000 demonstrators who gathered on the steps of the state Capitol for the annual I Love Mountains Day rally.
Beshear did not change his positions regarding mountaintop removal, but he did agree to tour mountaintop removal sites at the group's request.