Jessica Reznicek has been sentenced to 8 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years probation, and directed to pay over $3 million to oil and gas company Energy Transfer Partners for taking nonviolent direct action to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016.
This is appalling on its own — but the presiding judge also set a dangerous legal precedent when she agreed with federal prosecutors to apply a domestic terrorism enhancement to Jessica’s sentence to deter others from taking similar actions.
This sentence is incredibly harmful to Jessica, and to all land and water protectors who defend our communities and our shared environment.
This sentence is incredibly harmful to Jessica, and to all land and water protectors who defend our communities and our shared environment.
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 an extremely dangerous precedent for movements seeking to protect the earth and water. We unequivocally denounce labeling climate justice actions and water protection as terrorism.
In the words of NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus, “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 are extremely alarmed by the Biden Department of Justice’s choice to characterize climate justice activists and water protectors as terrorists, while the deadly impacts of the climate crisis are being felt all around us. In their use of the terrorism enhancement, the Biden administration is once again prioritizing fossil fuel expansion over human survival.
You can follow and support Jessica on social media here:
In solidarity,
Rising Tide North America & ShutDownDC
P.S. If you are part of an organization that can sign on to the petition to support Jessica, please fill out this form.
