Off Baby Beach this morning, the so-called Veilcorp “protest floatilla” dissolved into disarray, less than a week after it began. Hundreds of protestors had to be rescued from the water with dozens being treated for exposure and related injuries. 6 people are in serious condition. Officials say alcohol and drug use contributed to the chaos, adding that they are looking into charging protest organizer, John Driscol.
According to Driscol it all started last Saturday, April 11th. He had just had a heated conversation with a tourist about the safety of Veilcorp’s Icarus project and the solar production of 127 (Unbiseptium). Many, including prominent scientists, are concerned about the impact the element is having on the surrounding environment.
“I was so hot after talking to that know-it-all, that I had to leave the beach bar and cool off in the water. I stepped on an urchin almost right way, and that’s when it occurred to me: Veilcorp is making Lahaina a terrible place by storing huge amounts of 127 in the ground and ruining our beaches by dumping thousands of urchins in the water. There’s no way I could actively do anything to stop them, they’re a huge organization. If I had any chance of making myself and my concerns heard, I’d have to do the opposite. I’d do nothing, and I’d do nothing for a long time. I’m good at nothing and It didn’t surprise me at all how fast the protest caught on.”
Armed only with floaties, kayaks, paddleboards, and a few swimming mattresses, John and a few friends floated out in the Baby Beach area and begin their lackadaisical protest. Word of the unique demonstration spread quickly through social media. By Sunday, hundreds, some with boats, had joined Driscol in his floating revolt against Veilcorp and the status quo. That evening, the story was picked up by numerous media outlets and the response was “staggering”.
While many were confused about the exact purpose of the floatilla or how they planned on accomplishing their goals, some locals embraced the idea and offered their help. Inventor Ano Lee provided the floatilla with 5 of his Sharknet modules to help protect against attacks. “I’m not necessarily behind the movement, to be honest I’m not even sure what it is they hope to accomplish, but I love the idea of almost a thousand people becoming convinced that floating in the sun and drinking beer is a radical form of protest. I’ll support that kind of thinking however I can, just to see what will happen,” Mr Lee said.
Others provided suntan lotion and offered emergency floatie patching services. Driscol says, “I made it clear that this was a BYOB kind of thing, but a couple of my backers did send out care packages of pineapple and orange wedges, cherries, and pretzels to help us keep our strength up, but there just wasn’t enough bar garnish for everyone.” Officials estimate that at its height Wednesday evening, a living raft of almost 10,000 protesters had joined the floatilla and major issues began to surface.
Those issues came to a head Thursday night and carried over into this morning. Over 30 first responders worked on treating victims overnight suffering from severe dehydration, heat stroke, and exposure. A dozen conservation officers weaved their way through the water, conducting safety checks and looking for underage drinkers. They estimate that the cost of the cleanup effort to remove all the trash left by the protestors is going to reach into the tens of thousands. Ocean Safety lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard are scheduled to assist the effort today. Many are now calling for the government to break-up the floatilla and file charges against Driscol. An anonymous source inside the mayor’s office says that at the very least, Driscol will be billed for the cleanup and emergency response.
Veilcorp COO Lisa Hunt says she is bewildered by the protest, its leader in particular, and hopes that everyone makes a full recovery, despite what they think about the company.
“I’m rarely surprised these days but I have to admit the size of this group of disgruntled floaters amazed me. Very early on we made contact with Mr. Driscol to ascertain exactly what it was he wanted and his quote was, ‘I want you to stop.” When we pressed for specifics about what it was he wanted stopped he responded, “You know, all of it.” That was the extent of our negotiations. The fact that anyone got behind this man is astonishing to me. John Driscol is like some sort of mythical creature from a parable. He has become so lazy and unwilling to take responsibility for his actions that he has created work for himself, and will be left holding the bag for all the misdeeds of his fellow floatillians. It’s an amazing accomplishment, but not one anybody should be proud of.”
