Greenpeace Faces $300M Lawsuit Over Dakota Access Pipeline Protests

The trial could financially cripple the environmental organization and has significant implications for free speech and protest rights in the U.S.. Energy Transfer

Energy Transfer, the operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline, alleges Greenpeace orchestrated defamation, property damage, and violent protests during the pipeline's construction in 2016-2017.
Greenpeace denies the claims, arguing that its actions were peaceful, lawful, and protected under the First Amendment, and characterizes the case as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
The $300 million in damages sought by Energy Transfer is over ten times Greenpeace USA's annual budget, threatening the organization's financial survival if the court rules against it.
The trial, taking place in North Dakota, highlights the lack of anti-SLAPP protections in the state and raises concerns about the chilling effect on future protests and activism.
Indigenous leaders and activists emphasize that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe led the resistance against the pipeline, with Greenpeace providing support rather than spearheading the movement.