Word that the Greenpeacers arrested in the Pennsylvania clean air action have been charged with felonies under federal terrorism laws:
For decades, Greenpeace protesters have been climbing tall structures and hanging banners from them. Once they come down, after having had their say, they typically have been charged with minor offenses and received minor penalties. All that changed June 24, 2004, when federal prosecutors charged peaceful and nondestructive protestors of the Bush administration's air pollution policy with violating laws meant for terrorists.
...
They were charged with two federal felonies under laws that make it illegal to "knowingly and willfully damage or attempt to damage the property of an energy facility" or "attempt to cause a significant interruption or impairment of a function of an energy facility." It would be the first federal prosecution under this law. They were also charged with four state misdemeanors, three state felonies, and conspiracy. Greenpeace says they neither damaged the plant nor interrupted its operation.
Link to full Society of Environmental Journalists article.
This is the criminalizing of civil disobedience. By this measure, the Boston Tea Party was a terrorist act, rather than "the greatest act of civil disobedience of the 18th century," as I recently heard it described on Liberty! The American Revolution on PBS.
(Yes, I was actually watching PBS. Sort of. From the other room while I typed.)
Posted by Emily at July 7, 2004 11:36 PM