John, this is terrible. We’re seeing a nationwide trend of state power cracking down on the fundamental right to peaceful protest with anti-protest laws lobbied and paid for by the fossil fuel industry. We need you to speak up – especially after what went down this weekend. Here’s the deal:
Harris County, Texas, District Attorney Kim Ogg is charging Greenpeace activists for peacefully blocking an oil shipping port. They were simply exercising their First Amendment rights to draw attention to the fossil fuel industry driving the climate crisis.
Now Ogg is hellbent on criminalizing them. They’re each facing two years in prison and $10,000 fines. This is the first time anyone has ever been charged with a felony for this in Texas. That’s why we’re calling on our national network to speak up:
The anti-protest law was lobbied and paid for by the fossil fuel industry itself, which criminalizes “impairing or interrupting” pipeline construction. And it’s not just happening in Texas. This year alone, seven states including Texas passed a version of the law pushed by ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council).
There’s an important lesson here: The fossil fuel industry is fighting back against protest because they know it works. It’s a huge part of how any progress on climate action happened over the last decade.
District attorneys play a key role because they choose whether to prosecute anti-protest cases. The situation unfolding with Kim Ogg could set a precedent for bad district attorneys around the country who are set on incarcerating more and more people – not just for climate activism, but for protest of any kind. Our democracy is in crisis. Protest is vitally important to defend our democracy.
This is an important moment to protect our rights that are essential to keep fighting for justice. The more voices we have with us, the louder we’ll be heard.
Thank you,
Real Justice Team
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