Water Protectors Not Terrorists: Repeal Jessica Reznicek’s Terrorist Enhancement!
Joe Biden, U.S. Congress
Jessica Reznicek plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to damage the Dakota Access Pipeline, an energy facility. On June 30th, 2021 Federal Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger set a dangerous legal precedent when she agreed with federal prosecutors that it was necessary to apply a domestic terrorism enhancement to Jessica’s case to deter others from taking similar actions.
The terrorism enhancement doubled Jessica’s sentence and unless changed could have frightening consequences for anyone seeking to protect the environment from corporate destruction.
The result of this decision is that Jessica will serve 8 years in prison, followed by 3 years supervised probation, and a restitution of $3,198,512.70 paid to Energy Transfer LLC for the actions she took in 2016 to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.
What happens to Jessica, happens to all of us. The use of the terrorism enhancement in Jessica’s case is not only immoral and illegal, but if allowed to stick sets extremely dangerous precedent for movements seeking to protect the earth and water.
As a pipeline ruptured this July in the Gulf of Mexico setting the water on fire, record breaking temperatures are creating drought, unprecedented wildfires, and death from heat related illness. Germany and New York are experiencing deadly record breaking floods and it is extremely alarming that Joe Biden's Department of Justice's response to this unfolding crisis is labeling Climate Justice Activists as terrorists.
Unfortunately this trend is happening across the globe. Professor Julia Steinberger, a lead author with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, recently signed a letter with her other UN colleges and over 400 other scientists & academics from 32 countries, that raises the alarm on this trend of activists being criminalized with longer prison sentences, police repression, and more at a pivotal time in the fight against global heating.
Part of the letter reads, "But around the world today, those who put their voices and bodies on the line to raise the alarm are being threatened and silenced by the very countries they seek to protect. We are gravely concerned about the increasing criminalisation and targeting of climate protestors around the world." When hearing of Jessica's case Steinberger urged people to support Jessica saying, "As the climate and ecological crises escalate, so too will our activism. And so will the repression by governments corrupted by fossil fuel interests. Stand with Jessica Reznicek."
NASA Climate Scientist Peter Kalmus echoed this sentiment saying, "Jessica was sentenced to 8 years for protecting all of us from climate and ecological breakdown. She acted from necessity and from love. She is a hero, not a terrorist."
We unequivocally denounce labeling climate justice action and water protection as terrorism.
We demand our federally elected officials speak out against the use of this enhancement in Jessica’s case and take steps to repeal the law. We demand Joe Biden commute and/or pardon Jessica Reznicek to remove this enhancement.
100 Grannies for a Livable Future 198 methods 350.org - National 350 Butte County 350 New Orleans 350 Tacoma 350 Hawaii A Community Voice-Louisiana About Face: Veterans Against the War AMS Montessori Teachers Appalachians Against Pipelines Arkansas Rising! Baltimore Nonviolence Center Bicosito Bangladesh Foundation (BBF) Casa Esther Catholic Worker Center for Protest Law and Litigation Certain Days Chesapeake Climate Action Network Christian Peacemaker Teams Civil Liberties Defense Center Clean the Pacific Cleveland Nonviolence Network Climate Action Rhode Island-350 Climate Disobedience Center Climate Justice Committee CLIMATE RESCUE CODEPINK Columbia Gorge Climate Action Network Community For The Advancement of Native Studies (CANS) Dancing Bee Gardens Des Moines Catholic Worker Des Moines Defender Zine End Solitary Santa Cruz County Extinction Rebellion Delaware Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area Extinction Rebellion New Orleans Extinction Rebellion South-Central NH Fight Toxic Prisons Food Not Bombs - South Bend Freedom Archives Giniw Collective Global Witness Grassroots Global Justice Alliance Green Delaware Green New Deal at UCSD [University of California, San Diego] House of Grace Catholic Worker Howard County (MD) Climate Action Inclusive Louisiana Indivisible Nova West Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program InterReligious Task Force on Central America Jonah House L.I.Teachers for Human Rights Louisiana Bucket Brigade Louisiana Rise Maine Natural Guard Manchester Fridays for Future Marcellus Outreach Butler Massachusetts Interfaith Worker Justiuce Milwaukee Zen Center Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light MN350 Mountains and Waters Alliance National Lawyers Guild National Lawyers Guild - Midwest Region National Lawyers Guild - St. Louis Chapter Nonviolence International NorCal Resist Norfolk Catholic Worker North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light Occupy the World Food Prize Our Revolution Hawaii Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition Peace and Justice Center of Nevada County Rainforest Action Network Red Aid Rising Tide North America Radicle Roots St. John's, Inc. Saxapahaw Prison Books Sea Shepherd Iceland Sea-Watch Shut Down Creech Shutdown DC Silver Spring Catholic Worker Solidarity and Social Justice Committee of the Teaching Support Staff Union Stop Fossil Fuels Sunflower Alliance Sunrise Movement - National Sunrise St Paul Sunrise STL The FANG Collective The Nuclear Resister Toronto 350 Tradistae Turtle Island Restoration Network UnKoch My Campus Veterans For Peace Virginia Student Environmental Coalition Vote Climate Water Protector Legal Collective We, The World
If you are a representative of an organization and would like your organization to sign on please fill out this form. For more information on Jessica's case and how to support visit our website, stay up to date by following us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram @FreeJessRez, and read stories about the case in the press below:
The trials of land and water protectors in a world on fire
As Big Oil Execs Roam Free, Climate Activist Gets 8 Years in Prison
DAPL Saboteur Jessica Reznicek Sentenced to 8 Years
Full interview: Jessica Reznicek speaks out about 8-year prison sentence for pipeline vandalism
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To:
Joe Biden, U.S. Congress
From:
[Your Name]
I am extremely alarmed by the Department of Justice's choice to characterize Climate Justice Activists & Water Protectors as terrorists, while the deadly impacts of the climate crisis are being felt all around us. The Department of Justice in their use of the terrorism enhancement is prioritizing fossil fuel expansion over the wellbeing of human survival.
I stand in support of Jessica Reznicek. No one was hurt by Jessica’s actions. The use of the terrorism enhancement in Jessica's case was immoral and illegal. The court’s decision is a clear attempt to silence dissent and criminalize environmental protection.
Jessica was sentenced to 8 years, which is more than double what she would have gotten if she had not been labeled a terrorist. Whether or not I agree with Jess’s tactics, non-violently protecting water without injuring any person is never terrorism.
I unequivocally denounce labeling climate justice action and water protection
terrorism.
-I demand our federally elected officials speak out against the use of this enhancement in Jessica’s case and take steps in Congress to repeal the law.
-I demand Joe Biden commute and/or pardon Jessica Reznicek to remove this enhancement.