P&G tangled up in Greenpeace felony charges
The activists were up in court late last week following a demonstration at the personal care player’s headquarters in Cincinnati where they had slipped past security and used zip lines to post banners from P&G's towers, while a helicopter filmed the protest.
The details of the matter includes a protester gaining access to P&G office space that is leased to another company on the grounds on claiming to have an appointment, before letting others in through a back door dressed in business attire with rolling suitcases.
According to Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, based on a repair company’s estimate, the activists have caused damages to P&G's property totaling $17,000 mainly to windows with broken locks.
However; defense attorney William Gallagher says he doesn't think the charges are "proportional to their actions" and wants to see proof of damages to P&G's buildings.
Greenpeace officials have defended the action as a peaceful protest meant to draw attention to an important issue. At the time of the indictment, Prosecutor Deters said 24 police officers and two companies of firefighters were diverted to the 90-minute protest.
According to the Associated Press, a Hamilton County grand jury has indicted these activists on burglary and vandalism counts carrying possible sentences of nine-plus years in prison and $20,000 in fines with convictions.
Origin of the matter..
Earlier in the month Greenpeace accused P&G of sourcing palm oil from companies that have proven links to the destruction of rain forests that is destroying the Eco-system and the home of the endangered orangutan.
The non profit based its claims on a year-long study that revealed the current sourcing policies of a number of personal care companies exposes its supply chain to forest fires and habitat destruction that is pushing a number of animals to the edge of extinction.
The palm oil that these companies are sourcing care ingredients is used in a number of household and personal that P&G currently manufactures worldwide.
According to Greenpeace, other personal care giants, including L’Oréal and Unilever have made concerted efforts to improve their palm oil sourcing, an example that P&G should be following.
