[seadog] Exxon Sues Greenpeace
- From: "Tom Blanchard" <tomblanchard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "SEADOG" <seadog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 10:06:27 -0400
Tuesday June 25, 7:25 am Eastern Time
ExxonMobil To Sue Greenpeace In France Over Esso Logo
LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Oil major ExxonMobil Corp. is to sue environmental
pressure group Greenpeace in France over misuse of its Esso unit's corporate
logo, the BBC reported Tuesday on its Web site.
Esso France is taking legal action against Greenpeace's French arm, saying
the so-called "Stop E$$O" campaign is illegal and harmful to the reputation
of the Esso brand name.
The campaign aims to depict the oil firm as unscrupulous and greedy,
particularly with regard to environmental rules, the BBC said. But
ExxonMobil argues the manipulation of its logo makes it resemble the symbol
of the Nazi SS, which is at best confusing to the public.
The BBC said ExxonMobil's legal challenge represents a change of tack for
big corporations, which have so far either ignored protesters, or attempted
to challenge them on ideological grounds.
Aside from demanding an end to the campaign in its present form, Esso France
is claiming EUR80,000 in daily compensation.
Esso France is applying for an injunction in Paris next Monday, where a
preliminary judgement is expected.
In response, Greenpeace has labeled the challenge "bullyboy antics".
"We find it ironic that the richest corporation in the world can't recognize
the dollar sign and confuses it with a Nazi symbol," the BBC quoted Stephan
Tindale, director of Greenpeace U.K. as saying. "In the meantime we're
delighted Esso has finally admitted that our campaign is having an effect,"
he added.
The Stop E$$O campaign is a coalition of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth
and People & Planet. It has been running in France since May, with
equivalent protests in the U.K., U.S. , Canada and Germany .
This year, Greenpeace has attempted to mobilize a consumer boycott of Esso
fuels, saying ExxonMobil helped torpedo the Kyoto agreement on climate
change.
ExxonMobil denies that it is attempting to stifle free speech.
"The law forbids the distortion or misrepresentation of a trademark.
Greenpeace is not above the law," the BBC quoted an Esso France spokesman as
saying.
"We have just asked them to take the logo off their site. We're not trying
to keep them from expressing themselves," the spokesman said.
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