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| Standing Rock, Sept. 3, 2016. Defense of Standing Rock burial places from the construction of Dakota Access Pipeline, as pipeline brought in dogs to attack water protectors. Video screen capture by Censored News. |
Thousands Sign Support for Greenpeace and Red Warrior Society in Pipeline SLAPP
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Sept. 13, 2024
Energy Transfer plans to bankrupt Greenpeace USA with its $300 million lawsuit, and rewrite history by diminishing the role of Native people leading the movement to protect the water at Standing Rock from Dakota Access Pipeline. More than 290 organizations, and tens of thousands of individuals, have signed a letter supporting Greenpeace.
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Updated August 2, 2024
STANDING ROCK, North Dakota -- A new development has delayed the trial in the lawsuit filed by Energy Transfer against Greenpeace and Standing Rock water protectors. A "massive document dump" by Energy Transfer resulted in the delay, after the owner of Dakota Access Pipeline began issuing third party subpoenas to water protectors and the media, Greenpeace told Censored News.
"Red Warrior Society is still named in the lawsuit and last week our lawyers presented arguments for why it shouldn’t be (because it is not the sort of entity that can be sued). The two individuals, Cody Hall and Krystal Two Bulls, are also still named, but were never served. (Greenpeace entities are the only ones that were served and are actively litigating)," Bigda told Censored News.
SLAPP Suit: Frivolous suit to silence opponents
Cornell Law School says, "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP suit) refers to lawsuits brought by individuals and entities to dissuade their critics from continuing to produce negative publicity. By definition, SLAPP suits do not have any true legal claims against the critics. People bring SLAPP suits because they can either temporarily prevent their critics from making public statements against them or more commonly to make critics spend all of their time and resources defending the SLAPP suits."
The SLAPP lawsuit names Greenpeace, Red Warrior Society and individual water protectors. Water protectors are also being served with third party subpoenas, in a fishing expedition for information. The lawsuit is slated for North Dakota State Court in Morton County in February of 2025 -- eight years after militarized police tore down and ransacked the water protector camps.
Those supporting Greenpeace range from doctors and attorneys, to Czech and Bulgarian environmental groups, to Jane Fonda and Susan Sarandon.
Greenpeace International said today, "This lawsuit makes allegations that affect people far beyond Greenpeace. It attempts to rewrite the history of the Indigenous-led opposition movement at Standing Rock – by absurdly alleging that Greenpeace orchestrated the entire resistance."
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| Horseback riders on the hill, Oct. 27, 2016. Defending the water at Standing Rock. Video screen capture by Censored News. |
Statement by Greenpeace International, Sept. 13, 2024
We, the undersigned individuals and organisations, formally express our solidarity with Greenpeace against Energy Transfer’s meritless $300 million lawsuit.
Peaceful protest and free speech are fundamental human rights that underpin social progress. The Energy Transfer $300 million lawsuit against Greenpeace is an abuse of the legal system and a blatant attempt to silence legitimate work to protect people and our planet.
This lawsuit makes allegations that affect people far beyond Greenpeace. It attempts to rewrite the history of the Indigenous-led opposition movement at Standing Rock – by absurdly alleging that Greenpeace orchestrated the entire resistance.
We, the undersigned individuals and organisations, formally express our solidarity with Greenpeace against Energy Transfer’s meritless $300 million lawsuit.
Peaceful protest and free speech are fundamental human rights that underpin social progress. The Energy Transfer $300 million lawsuit against Greenpeace is an abuse of the legal system and a blatant attempt to silence legitimate work to protect people and our planet.
This lawsuit makes allegations that affect people far beyond Greenpeace. It attempts to rewrite the history of the Indigenous-led opposition movement at Standing Rock – by absurdly alleging that Greenpeace orchestrated the entire resistance.
It seeks to hold the Greenpeace organizations in the US and Greenpeace International accountable for actions taken by unaffiliated and unknown individuals. This could have a chilling effect on anyone engaged in peaceful protest and assembly. It also attempts to sue over justified and protected speech, claiming it is “defamation.” This is corporate overreach that is part of a disturbing trend of attacks on advocacy and speech around the world.
We will not allow lawsuits like this one to stop us from advocating for a just, green and peaceful future. On the contrary, we will ensure they have the opposite effect, increasing the support for organizations like Greenpeace and strengthening the broader movement for justice.
This legal attack on Greenpeace is an attack on us all. We will not stand idly by. We will not be bullied. We will not be divided and we will not be silenced.
This letter has been signed by more than 290 organisations, tens of thousands of individuals, and a growing list of public figures.
We will not allow lawsuits like this one to stop us from advocating for a just, green and peaceful future. On the contrary, we will ensure they have the opposite effect, increasing the support for organizations like Greenpeace and strengthening the broader movement for justice.
This legal attack on Greenpeace is an attack on us all. We will not stand idly by. We will not be bullied. We will not be divided and we will not be silenced.
This letter has been signed by more than 290 organisations, tens of thousands of individuals, and a growing list of public figures.
Read the names of support organizations:
Previous article at Censored News
Energy Transfer Dumps Load of Documents in Case Against Greenpeace and Water Protectors
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Updated August 2, 2024
STANDING ROCK, North Dakota -- A new development has delayed the trial in the lawsuit filed by Energy Transfer against Greenpeace and Standing Rock water protectors. A "massive document dump" by Energy Transfer resulted in the delay, after the owner of Dakota Access Pipeline began issuing third party subpoenas to water protectors and the media, Greenpeace told Censored News.
Responding to questions, Greenpeace said Red Warrior Society and other water protectors are named in the lawsuit.
"Red Warrior Society is still named in the lawsuit and last week our lawyers presented arguments for why it shouldn’t be (because it is not the sort of entity that can be sued). The two individuals, Cody Hall and Krystal Two Bulls, are also still named, but were never served. (Greenpeace entities are the only ones that were served and are actively litigating)," Bigda told Censored News.
During a hearing, attorneys for Greenpeace asked a North Dakota judge to dismiss the lawsuit, filed in Morton County District Court in North Dakota State Court in 2019, North Dakota Monitor reports.
Steven Caplow, also representing Greenpeace, asked the judge to dismiss this part of the claim because the Red Warrior Society is not a legal entity.
“You can’t conspire with the Red Warrior Society, because it doesn’t exist,” Caplow told North Dakota Southwest District Judge James Gion during the hearing.
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Cornell Law School says, "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP suit) refers to lawsuits brought by individuals and entities to dissuade their critics from continuing to produce negative publicity. By definition, SLAPP suits do not have any true legal claims against the critics. People bring SLAPP suits because they can either temporarily prevent their critics from making public statements against them or more commonly to make critics spend all of their time and resources defending the SLAPP suits."
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