UNIVERSAL CITY : Texaco Destroying Ecuador’s Rain Forest, Protesters Say

Three protesters scaled the 35-story Texaco building early Thursday and unfurled a huge banner accusing the oil giant of destroying Ecuadorean rain forests.

Roughly two-dozen members of the Rainforest Action Network picketed outside the building at Universal City Plaza to urge consumers to boycott the company’s products until it restores areas devastated by oil drilling in the South American country.

“We’re trying to get the word out to U.S. consumers and Texaco shareholders and executives that the mess Texaco made in Ecuador--the pollution, deforestation and the poisoning of the people--will not be tolerated,” said Shannon Wright, a coordinator for the group.

Three protesters scaled the building with devices that utilized tracks installed for window-washing machines. Once they were up on the building, they unfurled the banner.

A spokesman said the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ecuadorean government and a state oil company, which outlines the cleanup activities. He added that two audits have concluded that Texaco’s oil drilling operations in Ecuador have had little adverse effect on the environment.