PG&E critics protest outside headquarters, remember Camp Fire victims with 85 pairs of shoes

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside PG&E’s San Francisco headquarters on Friday ahead of the utility’s annual shareholders meeting. 

The demonstrations started with a somber moment, reading the names of wildfire victims and placing 
85 pairs of shoes in front of PG&E headquarters at Beale and Mission streets. One pair for each life lost in the deadly Camp Fire. 

“Those are 85 voices that cannot speak for themselves today,” said Jessica Tovar of Clean Energy Alliance.

Security was tight. Guards and barricades surrounded the building, watching as protesters brought large signs detailing the financial impact of PG&E-related fires and blasting the company for filing for bankruptcy. 

”PG&E is a criminal corporation. Time and again they have caused harm to people of California,” said Barbara Stebbins. “They keep getting bailed out.”

Tovar added: ”It’s a huge insult to injury. We really need to hold them accountable for the deaths that they caused and destruction so far and we shouldn’t have to flip the bill for them.”

PG&E would not allow cameras inside the meeting and refused KTVU’s request for an interview.

The company has sent inspectors to high risk fire areas and they are in the process of repairing more than 1,000 safety risks on transmission lines and distribution poles. The utility also permanently retired the line blamed for causing last year’s deadly camp fire in Butte County. 
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