The expected value clearly is different. The mob primarily destroys and extracts and at most provides a token amount of real protection. The government provides advance warning for them to handle things on their own without further intervention and pursues a net-positive goal of reducing emissions and dependency on foreign fuels.

It's not a threat, it's a statement of preferred outcomes with a "we truly prefer not to do this" fallback in case the preferred solution is not achieved on their own terms.

It's extortion in the same way that "obey the law or go to prison" is extortion.