Spoon v. Bayou Bridge Pipeline LLC

Three individuals who were arrested at a protest against the Bayou Bridge Pipeline in August 2018 filed a lawsuit in federal court in Louisiana asserting that the pipeline’s developer, a private security company, officers of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, a local sheriff, and other unnamed defendants violated their rights under federal and state law. The complaint alleged that environmental activists had vehemently opposed the pipeline, which they believed could exacerbate coastal erosion and “could contribute to rising sea levels, leaving coastal communities more vulnerable to hurricanes, in addition to threatening wildlife and contaminating drinking water in the surrounding areas.” The plaintiffs asserted violations of the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments as well as rights established by the Louisiana Constitution. The plaintiffs also asserted intentional tort claims, including intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, battery, and false imprisonment.