Greenpeace activists face potential five-year prison sentences for climate protest

Key Takeaways

• A trial has begun in Valencia, Spain, against 11 Greenpeace activists for a 2021 peaceful climate protest.
• The prosecutor is seeking five-year prison sentences for each activist, representing one of the harshest penalties for environmental protesters in Europe.
• The protest targeted a liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel from the United States at the Enagás facilities in the port of Sagunto.

Background and Incident

• In October 2021, the Greenpeace ship Esperanza blocked the access of a gas tanker transporting fracked gas—a technique banned in Spain—to the Sagunto port.
• Activists painted "No + gas" on the ship and one individual climbed onto the vessel’s anchor.
• Greenpeace has already paid approximately 160,000 euros in administrative fines related to the action.

Legal and Social Implications

• The defense team argues that the protest falls within the realm of civil disobedience and that the right to protest should prevail over minor disruptions.
• UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, Michel Forst, and Amnesty International are attending the trial as observers.
• Greenpeace views the heavy prosecution as part of a global trend toward silencing social movements, citing the use of excessive police force and restrictive legislation.
• Activists stress that civil disobedience remains an essential tool for social progress and democratic accountability in the face of the accelerating climate crisis.