Two protesters locked themselves to a massive generator today as it was being shipped to Duke Energy's controversial new Cliffside coal-fired power plant in western North Carolina.

The protest, which resulted in four arrests, took place near Greenville, S.C. and was organized by the Asheville, N.C. chapter of Rising Tide and Croatan Earth First! It was part of the Mobilization for Climate Justice, a national day of action that involved dozens of protests around the country.

"Since politicians and corporations refuse to take serious action to stop climate change, citizens must step in to shut down coal plants," said protester and Earth First! activist Attila Nemecz.

Today's actions come on the 10-year anniversary of the protests that disrupted the World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle and a week before world leaders including President Obama will meet in Copenhagen to discuss a new global climate agreement.

(Photo from the website of Rising Tide North America; to see more photos of the South Carolina protest action, click here.)