A disturbing anti-fracking video from Appalachia Resist! — perhaps the most rogue fringe activists group in Ohio — was recently posted to social media in an apparent effort to save their failed campaigns. The group, which has been tied to media stunts and several arrests for public disturbance, has shifted focus to use children as part of their misinformation efforts. The new video, narrated by a child and an elderly woman, exclaims “fracking kills” and “the danger is especially high for children, babies and nursing mothers,” as well as a host of other absurd claims.

The video also features Appalachia Resist! leader Peter Gibbons-Ballew, who was recently charged with civil disobedience, inducing panic, and hindering and failure to comply, after shutting down a busy intersection by chaining himself to a pipe in downtown Columbus.  It’s amazing how one day Gibbons-Ballew is putting other children in harm’s way by “inducing panic” in Columbus, yet just a few months later is featured holding a child in this disturbing video. A closer look at this group clearly demonstrates they are completely out of touch with reality and highlights the perpetual “do as I say, not as I do” mentality that has become prevalent among environmental extremists.

Appalachia Resist! Playbook: Violence & Children

Two extreme worlds represent this out-of-touch group.

On one hand, we have the Appalachia Resist! logo, which represents pretty much everything you need to know about their mode of operation.

On the other hand, you have the flip side of the two-faced misinformation campaign, such as this new video moderated by a child.

In another scene, we see a man“standing in solidarity,” holding a child as part of their new effort to recruit troops to fight for their cause.

Below we see the reality, as the same man featured above striking a pose “in solidarity” is none other than Gibbons-Ballew. Appalachia Resist! proudly posted the following picture of Gibbon-Ballew only months ago:

This playbook is unfortunately all too common by anti-fracking groups. Under the auspice of so-called “solidarity” we hear a child say in this new video—“We’re not just screaming, we’re organizing.” But it appears that enlisting children isn’t exactly helping them organize for their spring action camp, as they have registered a whopping seven people to attend thus far.

The same “do as I say not as a I do” tactics played out recently in North Dakota, where eerily similar strategies were used as part of the organizing efforts to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline, as one protester reported,

 “[i]t’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ the pipeline ruptures, that the children will get sick with their water polluted by oil. Do these people standing there with batons and Taser guns understand that? I wonder if they have families, if they have grandkids, to be enforcing this oil company’s will to come through here and pollute our water?”

Of course, we know this effort played out very different in reality, and as the Washington Times reported, the activist ended up leaving an environmental disaster, including contaminating water at the same sacred grounds they claimed they were protesting to protect.

In conclusion, while Appalachia Resist! may be using children to advance their agenda to ban fracking, their actions speak louder than words. A history of violence, civil disobedience, resisting arrest and inciting panic are the calling card for this group of fringe environmental activists, which is precisely why they are completely out of touch with Ohioans.