Overview

• The jury awarded Energy Transfer $660 million in damages, holding Greenpeace liable for defamation, trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy.
• Greenpeace plans to appeal the verdict, arguing the case threatens First Amendment rights to peaceful protest and free speech.
• The lawsuit stems from Greenpeace's alleged role in the 2016-2017 Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which Indigenous groups and environmental activists opposed.
• Critics have labeled the case a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), designed to intimidate dissenting voices and advocacy groups.
• The damages place Greenpeace's U.S. operations at risk of bankruptcy, while the organization has also filed a counter-lawsuit in the Netherlands under anti-SLAPP protections.