| Kathleen, Greenpeace is being sued for $300 million.
We need your help. Because if we don't get enough people to speak out, we might not survive. If you normally would skip an email like this one, can we ask for just two minutes of your time today? We promise it's that important. | Why is Greenpeace being sued? |
For decades, we've been a massive thorn in the side of Big Oil. They want revenge. They'd love to shut us down. That's what this case is all about.
Energy Transfer is the mega-corporation behind the infamous Dakota Access Pipeline. You probably remember that in 2016, Indigenous activists led one of the most powerful protests in modern history at Standing Rock.
The movement was so successful that the government initially vacated its approval of the pipeline. But when Donald Trump took power, he reversed course.
In 2017, after the pipeline was completed, Energy Transfer launched a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) lawsuit against the two Greenpeace entities in the US – Greenpeace Inc and Fund – as well as Greenpeace International.
They falsely claim we were the ones who organized the resistance at Standing Rock. It's a racist attempt to erase Indigenous leadership from this historic protest. And they want a lot of money in return for their so-called "losses."
This case goes to trial in February in North Dakota. If we don't fight back, there are grave consequences not just for Greenpeace but our broader movement:
Greenpeace USA could face financial ruin. Simply put, $300 million is more than we could ever pay. Companies that use SLAPP lawsuits against us hope we'll stop advocating for a green and peaceful future because of the threat of bankruptcy. But we won't.
Our right to protest is under grave threat. A win for Energy Transfer could establish dangerous new case law, holding organizations responsible for the actions of unknown individuals if they have any involvement in a protest.
The chilling impact this could have on our First Amendment rights in this country could be profound. The outcome of this case has implications for labor unions, grassroots activists, journalists, and other organizations who have been hit with similar lawsuits designed to intimidate them just for using their voices.
Our lawyers have been fighting this lawsuit tirelessly for years not just for Greenpeace, but for everyone who takes action to protect our planet and our communities. But with this case heading to trial soon in February, we also need you, Kathleen. We need millions of people to speak out against this case and show Energy Transfer they must end this abusive lawsuit. If enough of us lift our voices right now, they will hear us.
It all starts with our open letter, which we are re-launching today. All signatures will be delivered to Energy Transfer, calling on them to drop the lawsuit. These lawsuits are meant to silence and weaken us so we need you to show Energy Transfer that we're actually growing louder and stronger!
We noticed you haven't signed the letter yet, so we're asking you to do so now.
Once you sign the open letter, the work begins. We'll be asking a lot more of you in the months to come. This lawsuit is an existential threat to Greenpeace USA and our First Amendment right to protest. So we've got to raise as much awareness as possible. You can help right now by taking one more step:
Share this action with friends and family. Most people, even those sympathetic to our cause, haven't heard about this lawsuit. We have to change that if we're going to defeat Energy Transfer. Please forward this email or share our action page with other allies in your network.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for reading today. This is a longer email than we normally send. But as you can see, it's about an issue of grave importance for Greenpeace and our broader movement.
We deeply appreciate you giving us some of your time.
Rolf Skar
Acting Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace USA | 
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