Shell oil company sues Greenpeace over 'extremely dangerous' protest

A Greenpeace protest on an oil production vessel allegedly caused shipping delays and increased legal and security expenses for the British oil company Shell.

As a result of those incurred costs, Reuters reports, Shell is suing Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace International for $2.1 million.

A Shell spokesperson told Reuters that boarding the vessel was “unlawful and extremely dangerous."

"The right to protest is fundamental and we respect it absolutely. But it must be done safely and lawfully," the spokesperson said.

The protest took place in February, according to CNN. The activists boarded a ship in the Atlantic Ocean and climbed an oil platform that was being transported to the North Sea, where an oil field is expected to produce 45,000 barrels of oil or gas per day.

In a statement, Greenpeace alleged Shell’s legal action is an “intimidation lawsuit” and part of an effort to silence the organization's activists.