14 DAY TRIAL // Not long ago, we reported on how oil and gas company Shell took legal measures against the environmentalists working with Greenpeace.
Thus, they tried to get a judge to forbid them from organizing future protests intended to keep some of its facilities to carry on with their daily routine.
Recent news on this topic informs us that the Dutch court chosen to look into this matter has agreed that said green-oriented organization has a legal right to protest Shell's decisions, given the fact that the latter impacts on both society and the environment, which is why people have a right to speak their mind against them.
The official website for Greenpeace informs us that the judge who ruled in their favor and not in favor of Shell based his decision on the fact that, “A company like Shell, that is taking actions that are controversial in society and which many people will object to, can and should expect that actions will be taken to try to change its mind.”
However, both Greenpeace Netherlands and Greenpeace International were asked to no longer organize protests that might block work at various of Shell's properties (be they petrol stations, offices and other similar facilities) for longer than two hours.
Should they fail to abide by these rules and regulations, they are to face penalties.
Apparently, Shell is first and foremost upset about the fact that this organization and those working close with it almost never come up with legitimate ways to protest its working agenda.
However, Greenpeace points out that their setting up petitions and questioning Shell's plans to manage potential oil spills in the Arctic are anything but not legitimate ways to protest, which is why we should expect that this organization will move forward with its anti-drilling campaign much in the same way as they did in the past.
“As you might have guessed, this narrow injunction will do nothing to prevent us from opposing Shell's reckless plans with creativity and passion,” reads Greenpeace's response to this court ruling and to said oil and gas company's complaints.