Environmental and indigenous groups and activists filed a lawsuit in federal court in South Dakota challenging the “Riot Boosting Act,” a law signed by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in March 2019 that makes persons who participate in, direct, advise, or encourage “riots” or solicit another participant in a riot to acts of force or violence liable to the State or other political subdivision for damages. The plaintiffs alleged that the law was passed in response to pipeline protests near Standing Rock, North Dakota, and to legislators’ concerns regarding possible protests of the Keystone XL pipeline. The complaint asserted that the Riot Boosting Act, along with certain criminal statutes, unlawfully chilled “peaceful protests” in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

Challenge by environmental and indigenous groups and activists to South Dakota's "Riot Boosting Act."

Dakota Rural Action v. Noem

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Activists Challenged Constitutionality of South Dakota “Riot Boosting” Law

Filed

United States of America

South Dakota

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Activists Challenged Constitutionality of South Dakota “Riot Boosting” Law

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Just transition

Fossil fuel

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance