The Independent reports
More than a dozen protesters who clambered into holes dug for a high pressure gas pipeline said they had been found not responsible by a judge after hearing them argue their actions to try and stop climate change were a legal "necessity".
Karenna Gore, the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, was among more than 198 people who were arrested because of their 2015 actions protesting the pipeline in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. Thirteen people were to go on trial this week, though prosecutors downgraded their original criminal charges to one of civil infraction.
On [March 27], Judge Mary Ann Driscoll of West Roxbury District Court, found all 13 defendants not responsible, the equivalent of not guilty in a criminal case. She did so after each of the defendants addressed the judge and explained why they were driven to try and halt the pipeline's construction.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Arik on Friday March 30 2018, @02:10AM (1 child)
This is where it gets tricky. Apparently, for the moment at least, it's not a crime if you're protesting an oil pipeline that might leak and hurt someone down the road, but it IS a crime if you're protesting drones that are killing people on a daily basis.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday March 30 2018, @02:27AM
Good point. The difference lies in who owns the political toes you might be stepping on.