Danish Court Hits Greenpeace with Unprecedented Fines for Blocking Tankers

 

Greenpeace Denmark was hit with massive fines for a series of protests conducted in March 2022 against tankers transporting or transferring Russian oil in Danish waters. The well-known activist group is expressing outrage calling the court’s actions “shocking and completely out of proportion,” while worrying that it could set a precedent that could interfere with future protests.

The Danish Maritime Authority reported the protests which took place over four days in March and April 1, 2022, to the police. The police disrupted the protests or charged the individuals after the protests were over, but Danish prosecutors chose to make an example of these incidents. According to Greenpeace Denmark prosecutors chose to cite clauses within the law that had not previously been used.

The cases began with a hearing at the court in Svendborg, Denmark on June 18. There prosecutors raised Greenpeace Denmark’s history and the repeat nature of the offenses. Using the elements of the law, they invoked the opportunity to double the punishment. They asked for the court to impose a penalty of nearly $75,000.

The charges stemmed from a March 18, 2022, incident when Greenpeace protestors used kayaks to get in the path of the tanker Waikki. On March 19, a protestor lay in front of the tanker SCF Baltica, and they displayed banners reading “Oil Fuels War.” Days later on March 25, they used a small boat and others to stop the oil tanker Louie. Then on March 31 into April 1 activists lay in the water, used kayaks, and small rubber boats to block the transshipment of Russian oil in an STS operation in Albaek Bay near Skagen. In some cases, they approached the vessels to display the banners or paint slogans on the hull.

 

Prosecutors cited the repeated nature of the actions (© Will Rose / Greenpeace)

 

There was a second hearing on August 27 at the district court and today the judge handed down a fine of approximately $53,500. Greenpeace immediately highlighted it was a “huge leap” from the past actions and questioned the motivation of the court and the prosecutors.

“It is a very harsh punishment for a peaceful action against Denmark's and the EU's import of the Russian oil that finances Russia's war in Ukraine,” said Greenpeace campaign manager Sune Scheller, who participated in several of the actions. “I am very disappointed that the court has so unilaterally followed the prosecution's claim of guilt and punishment, and by and large has neither attached importance to independent expert witnesses, our explanation, nor the European Convention on Human Rights." 

The repetition of the actions became the basis for the increased penalties with Greenpeace saying it was the first time a court emphasized prior deeds. 

Greenpeace began this wave of protests and a campaign shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. It was not limited to Denmark but was staged in other locations as they identified tankers carrying Russian oil. In addition, the organization of course has a long history of a broad range of protests, which they emphasize are always peaceful.

Commenting on the court’s actions the organization is also saying “It could in the future have major consequences for our ability to not only carry out peaceful protests against our heavy dependence on Russian oil, which continues to finance the rain of bombs on the Ukrainian civilian population, but also in general against the existential threats that the entire climate crisis constitutes.”

The court rejected the lawyers' claims that the protestors should be acquitted by reference to the European Convention on Human Rights. The group asserts the judgment is retaliation. They said they would be reviewing the decision and consulting with their lawyers.