Political extremism has a new target: American companies. Protesting has a storied place in America, but some protesters are crossing the line. They are threatening, intimidating, and coercing companies to succumb to a political viewpoint. Giving in to their political demands may be the path of least resistance, but it won't lead to the right answer for the impacted businesses or the American people. Companies looking to push back against these protests can turn to tort law for answers.
This week, my colleagues and I released a report for the Grow America's Infrastructure Now (GAIN) Coalition on a new wave of protests against the pipeline industry. Activists bent on stopping the use of fossil fuels have been trying to cease pipeline construction at all costs. Their latest tactic is to target banks to pull out of their existing contracts to fund pipeline construction. The organizers publicize which banks have pipeline funding commitments and provide roadmaps on how to attack the banks.
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