A North Dakota jury awarded more than $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer, a Texas-based pipeline company that sued Greenpeace over protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly a decade ago. Greenpeace had claimed the damages could put them out of business in the U.S. Greenpeace plans to appeal, arguing the lawsuit is an attempt to silence oil-industry critics. The jury found Greenpeace liable for trespass, defamation, and conspiracy among other violations. Energy Transfer hailed the verdict as an affirmation of free speech, while Greenpeace labeled it a threat to First Amendment rights and freedom of speech. Energy Transfer co-founder, Kelcy Warren, stated the verdict was a victory against those who spread false narratives about his company. The protests against the pipeline drew national attention in 2016 and 2017 for potentially endangering the water supply on sacred land. The jury found Greenpeace Inc. primarily liable for damages exceeding $660 million, covering a range of offenses. Greenpeace International has countersued Energy Transfer in the Netherlands. The trial had witnesses criticizing jury selection for biases favoring the oil industry and negative views on protests. The trial monitoring group expressed concern over the impact such a verdict could have on free speech protection. The focus of the trial shifted from the water protection concerns underlying the protests to a larger battle over Indigenous sovereignty using an international environmental organization.
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