Those in attendance included town leaders, fishermen, local business owners and townspeople, all of whom are certain to be economically damaged by the oil slick now bearing down on the coastline.  Did BP try move the public meeting into a public relations and litigation ploy?

BP told the fishermen, business owners and local officials present that it will be unnecessary for them to hire their own legal counsel, that if they call a BP 1-800 telephone number and claim total damages for themselves and their businesses of less than $5,000 dollars, then BP would pay a claim of less than $5,000 but the damaged individuals and businesses in Bayou La Batre will be required to sign BP paperwork.  If the claim against BP is more than $5,000, BP told the audience they would be required to deal directly with BP's legal department.

Local town leaders took the microphone from the BP representative, and told the townspeople present not to sign BP's paperwork.