Out-Of-State Protestors Face Felony Charges In Houston
Greenpeace activists who suspended themselves from Houston’s Fred Hartman Bridge at a protest last Friday now face federal charges. Their theatrics sent one Texas bystander to the hospital. Of the 22 protestors facing federal charges, none are Texas residents.
In addition to federal charges, the out-of-state environmentalists face third degree felony charges under a recently enacted Texas law to protect critical infrastructure from actions dangerous to both protestors and innocent bystanders. The state charged 31 protestors under the new law and if convicted, the protestors face up to a $10,000 fine and two years in prison.
While none of the protestors are Texans, the Texas Sierra Club voiced their support for the protest:
“A group of 22 Greenpeace protesters have formed a blockade on the Fred Hartman Bridge in Baytown, Texas, blocking the transport of oil and gas through the country’s largest fossil fuel thoroughfare for 24 hours. Sierra Club thanks these brave activists taking a bold stance against the fossil fuel industry and demanding real climate action by moving beyond oil. We stand in solidarity with them and everyone working toward a future of clean energy.”