Greenpeace USA Wins Free Speech Battle Against Canadian Logging Giant’s $100M SLAPP Lawsuit

A judge in California has dismissed a seven-year $100 million lawsuit against Greenpeace USA that threatened the group’s existence. Canadian logging giant Resolute Forest Products sued Greenpeace in the United States and Canada for defamation after the group exposed the company’s irresponsible practices, part of a pattern of corporations attempting to use the burdens of the legal process to intimidate, exhaust and censor activists. Known as SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits, they are increasingly being used by the rich and powerful to silence critics. We are joined by Deepa Padmanabha, deputy general counsel for Greenpeace USA, to discuss the organization’s legal victory, as well as the continued work of advocates to pass anti-SLAPP legislation and promote free speech. “We took on this fight not just for Greenpeace, but for everyone who dares speak truth to power, and we knew we had to win this both in the courtroom and for the movement,” says Padmanabha.

[AgentFascinateur]

In Canada, Greenpeace in turn could sue to declare that company a "belligerent litigant" thereby setting a precedent against SLAPP lawsuits.

[thomasprendergast]

Yay, for democracy! And thank you, Amy and the crew at Democracy Now!

[dianahill]

The world owes a debt of gratitude, for the work Greenpeace does.

Congratulations Greenpeace!

[LG-djqr]

Greenpeace making waves for decades. Our heroes even if some do not know it

[lfrost]

Bravo! Thank you very much for the great news!

[angelene]

I pray they will win there law suit against energy transfer.

[graemekeeley]

In Australia, a hot topic is the shortage of housing and homes for low cost housing are no longer keeping up, then there is the rapid rate of builders going bankrupt causing much anguish to those who stand to lose the deposit on their new home

Much of this is the shortage of timber which can be contributed to demonizing of the forestry industry by these eco-terrorists such as Greenpeace

[snipervictim]

All the things going on in the USA and what do we get but hours of look over here pay no attention to the man behind the curtain .

[bovinityleak]

Thank you to all the brave green peace activists!

[bjdefilippo]

Great news! Greenpeace is crucial organization protecting us and the planet.

[shroud]

I am going to donate to Greenpeace now. Lets hope they did orchestrate standing rock.

[ralphholiman]

I don't like Greenpeace much, but, I will defend their right to free speech all the way. Good win!

[robroy]

Writing oil equals war on the hull of a tanker? BlaBlahBlah Brexit exit? Ya gotta admit the annoying nature of your protest.

[thHouseProductions]

Green Peace was getting hit with RICO charges?!

[Longtack]

Logging companies - mostly foreign-owned, in New Zealand, are dumping their forest waste on steep unstable land, and the waste eventually is released onto residential and farmland in heavy rain. It is also destroying estuarine shellfish and coastal fisheries as mud and gravel is smothering the environment's food sources.
The local authorities and government have done little to stop this - and it is taking years to repair the damage.

[rocketreindeer]

I'm from Canada, and on balance the cultural values have generally been a pretty consistently-held lean toward moderate progressivism. This in turn seems to make corporations and racist right-wingers even more determined to wreak havoc on anything they don't like. Canadian mining companies are appalling, and online racists are some of the world's most active, sadly. They all agree that only they should be in charge. So great to see this case. I didn't see it anywhere in Canadian news, most of which is owned by conservative billionaires.

[princeeverlove]

WE FREE PEOPLE DON'T SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER... BUT TO COWARDLY WEAK MEN HIDING BEHIND THEIR ARMED PERSONNEL...

[frederickkinzler]

Does the company pay GP's legal costs?

[NullStaticVoid]

It's horrible how often SLAPP suits happen. I could tell you stories but, there is like this legal mechanism which prevents people from talking about things for fear of retribution?

[mikeabc]

Blaming corporations as if corporations are independent of oligarchs who own them is not a good way to go about it. Major stockholders are the corporation so you should name names of oligarchs.