Story Archive

Saving Face

Bill Kaplan, a lawyer for the Kinder Morgan natural gas company, is seeking millions of dollars in damages against protesters who blocked pipeline construction in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. His evidence: pictures of the five defendants with faces that Kaplan alleges demonstrate anger and violence. “One of the things I will argue is that is not only intimidation, but that is actually an assault,” Kaplan said in court. Now, social media has responded with a meme poking fun at Kaplan’s assertion. Dubbed the “Kinder Morgan face,” pictures of angry-faced selfies are being posted on social networks by a variety of people, including at least one of the defendants and — Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “It feels a little bit like Kinder Morgan are stepping in it,” defendant Stephen Collis said. “This is one of the ones where they really did put their foot in their mouth. People are going to pick up on that.” (MS/National Post) ...Well, that would be a whole other meme.