Extremist group Appalachians Against Pipelines is fundraising to support continued dangerous and illegal activities at pipeline construction sites, based on a man illegally chaining himself to equipment working on the Mountain Valley Pipeline.  Such extreme protest tactics can risk damaging heavy machinery, in turn posing a risk to workers in addition to protesters themselves.

This is precisely the type of dangerous activity that prompted states across the country to enact legislation to increase penalties for illegal acts – including violent acts, tampering and trespassing like at the Mountain Valley Pipeline project.  These are not first amendment protests; they put workers …