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Greenpeace Ordered to Pay $665 Million in Landmark Pipeline Lawsuit

A North Dakota jury found Greenpeace liable for defamation and incitement during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, with the organization planning to appeal and pursuing legal action in Europe.

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Des manifestants de Greenpeace manifestant contre l'expansion d'un pipeline dans le Dakota.
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Overview

  • A North Dakota jury has ruled that Greenpeace must pay over $665 million in damages to Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline.
  • The lawsuit accused Greenpeace of defamation and incitement to violence during protests led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe between 2016 and 2017.
  • Greenpeace has denounced the case as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) and announced plans to appeal the decision.
  • The judgment has raised concerns about its potential to suppress environmental activism and freedom of expression, especially in jurisdictions lacking anti-SLAPP protections.
  • Greenpeace has also filed a counter-lawsuit in the Netherlands, leveraging European anti-SLAPP laws to challenge what it considers abusive legal tactics by Energy Transfer.