Greenpeace Ordered to Pay $660 Million in Dakota Access Pipeline Case

A North Dakota jury found Greenpeace liable for defamation and other claims, sparking concerns over free speech and activist rights.

The jury awarded $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer, accusing Greenpeace of defamation, trespass, and conspiracy related to the 2016-2017 Dakota Access Pipeline protests.
Greenpeace plans to appeal the verdict, calling it a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) aimed at silencing dissent and peaceful protest.
The lawsuit alleged that Greenpeace funded and organized protests, while Greenpeace maintained its role was limited and in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Critics have raised concerns about the fairness of the trial, citing jurors' ties to the fossil fuel industry and North Dakota's lack of anti-SLAPP protections.
The protests, led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, were among the largest anti-fossil fuel movements in U.S. history and highlighted issues of Indigenous sovereignty and environmental risks.