Climate activists who tried to disrupt the completion of the fossil fuel pipeline will appear via the Ablashian forests before the court Virginia On Tuesday, to confront serious criminal charges they deny strongly.
It was the Mountain Valley pipeline (MVP) I pushed through By the Biden Administration in mid-2013-the orders of the dominant court, the organizational blocs Wide opposition to Fossil fuel project 300 miles (480 km). Biden’s decision sparked a wave of non -violent protests and civil disobedience against the pipeline in Virginia and Western Virginia, where the work sets rushed to end the construction of the pipeline through sensitive waterways and protected forests.
In one case, on October 16, 2023, a group of activists descended in Jabal Peters in Gilles Province with a sign that reads “respect for existence or expectation of resistance.” They detonated music and one person sneaking into a excavator with a Sleeping dragonWhile others sang protest songs, “Doom to the Pipeline”. The MVP excavator managed to leave and leave the area, according to the police report.
During the next few weeks, a total of 10 activists have been accused of conspiring to discredit business, the most common misdemeanor in civilian conflicts, and Janean: a plot to capture the unauthorized use of the car, known as the newspaper as the newspaper, the charge of joy, and the MVP operator.
On Tuesday, two of the ten will face a trial for misdemeanor conspiracy and a preliminary hearing of criminal, which holds a 16 -year -old former penalty.
These are ridiculous fees aimed at intimidation. I was practicing my life freedom of expression and protest, and I am not guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping or joy. One of the defendants said: “The real conspiracy was the way the pipeline was pushed without judicial and environmental supervision.”
“It is a slippery slope for the state to accuse ordinary people of conspiracy used in cases of saturated cases of companies and the concessions … I am ready at the risk of imprisonment to shed light on this in the open court.”
“The accusations are nonsense and decided to confront the country that tries to silence any opposition – whether it is against pipelines, Cop City, or genocide in Palestine. We live in the heart of the imperial nucleus, so we must take action even if it is at a personal cost,” said River, not His real name.
The remaining eight reached an agreement with the prosecutors to convict him to intervene in property rights to another person, a misdemeanor. They will be granted a suspended penalty with 50-100 hours of community service, and you must collectively pay nearly $ 5,000 to the province for the additional work of the police.
“The judicial system in the United States is mainly corrupt, and people are punished by the operation without reaching a guilty ruling. Desi said, not his real name, and for this reason I had to deal with the deal to acknowledge guilt.” I need to move forward and find work, which was something that was It is impossible to do on illegal felony charges hanging on my head, and for this reason many others had to take over the deal of guilt. “
Nearly 50 non -violent activists were arrested in multiple provinces Virginia and Virginia West during the last stage To build pipelines, amid increasing concern about criminalizing environmental and climatic protests Through the United States – And Globally.
“These ridiculous charges are clearly designed to intimidate any resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure. A spokesman for Appalachians against pipelines said that this continues a long pattern of fossil fuel companies with billions of dollars that conspire with the legal system to suppress the opposition throughout history and all over the world today.” .
In a separate procedure on January 29, 2024, Madeleine Fajic linked herself to drilling equipment in the National Jefferson Forest, at the top of Mount Peters, with a sign that read “Mothers of the mountain says no to MVP.” It was extracted after about eight hours, and was accused of five misdemeanors and a felony – the charge of joy, which carries up to five years.
FFITCH agreed with the prosecutors to condemn it with a obstacle, intervene in the property rights of the last and the infringement of infringement, and will have to serve the community for 150 hours. She refused to agree to pay $ 15,000 as a police compensation, and she will argue in court on Tuesday.
They wanted to send me to prison to stand in the clean waters and air of our area, and to fight to end the climate chaos. “It is something that absorbs the deal of guilt, but I am a single mother of two children.” “The harsh weather affects everyone. It does not matter who votes in his favor. However, politicians make rear room deals with companies to sell people. Climate change is an existential crisis.”
In another incident on March 3, 2024, a protester with the name Ricky Bobby ascended to the pipeline using a harness and rope on the side of the mountain, where it remained for 36 hours. Four misdemeanors are faced on Tuesday after refusing a guilt that requires a police payment, and you can go to prison if convicted.
MVP, a joint project where EQT GIANT GIANT Corporation is now shareholders and majority operator, and dozens of demonstrators sue alleged damage caused by civil disobedience. Such claims can cut freedom of expression and discussion, Experts warned, It is increasingly used globally to silence environmental and social activists, especially by fossil and wealthy fuel companies.
EQT and Commonwealth Lawyer Office have been contacted to comment.
