Environmental groups fight back against corporate lawsuits

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Twenty environmental and civil liberties groups are fighting back against lawsuits they believe are aimed at limiting free speech and silencing critics.

The “Protect the Protest” task force targets strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP. They use legal action and the threat of financial risk to deter people and groups from speaking out against something they oppose.

The effort is to include billboard advertisements, training sessions for journalists and nonprofits, panel discussions and rallies outside companies the groups they believe use such lawsuits.

Rallies are planned next week in San Francisco, New York City and Dallas. Dallas is the base for Energy Transfer Partners, which built the Dakota Access oil pipeline and sued Greenpeace, Earth First and BankTrack for up to $1 billion for allegedly working to undermine the project.