Gunasekara: Destroying Property is not Free Speech

Writing in The Daily Caller, Mandy Gunasekara, former Chief of Staff at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reflected on the recent Energy Transfer v. Greenpeace trial verdict in the context of other left-wing protests, such as the violence and vandalizing happening to Tesla’s around the country. At the trial, which took place in Morton County, North Dakota, the activist group was found liable for its role in the 2016-2017 Dakota Access Pipeline protests and ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Gunasekara notes critics of the decision have said the verdict will “chill free speech” and threaten “the right to protest,” when in actuality, the issue in the case was the organizations actions, not it’s “speech.”

The jury learned that Greenpeace had paid professional trainers to travel to the protest camps, and led supply drives to outfit the groups, including paying for lockboxes that protestors used to lock themselves to equipment, Gunasekara wrote. Additionally, the organizations then executive director boasted about its role in an email, writing that “since day one,” the group played “a massive role.”

Gunasekara notes that, while these groups have the right to peaceful protest and free speech, the trial “should be a reminder to other groups that their right to protest does not include a right to break laws, damage property, and endanger people.” This is especially true as the administration signals its intent to streamline energy infrastructure projects across the country. These types projects are likely to meet resistance, but it is important to remember destroying property and using violence to further one’s aim or political agenda is not a right.