Greenpeace has been ordered to pay nearly $667 million in damages to a Texas-based pipeline company for its involvement in protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota during 2016-2017, a jury ruled on Wednesday.
The verdict, handed down in a North Dakota state court after two days of deliberations, follows accusations by pipeline company Energy Transfer that Greenpeace paid protesters to unlawfully disrupt pipeline construction and spread false information about the controversial project, which is located near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
The jury’s decision included damages for defamation, trespassing, and conspiracy, with more than $400 million allocated as punitive damages, meant to punish the defendants for their actions.
Greenpeace denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as an attack on free speech. The group’s attorneys stated that they would appeal the verdict.
“We’re an advocacy group. We engage in peaceful protest,” said Greenpeace attorney Deepa Padmanabha, emphasizing that the group played only a minor role in the demonstrations.
In contrast, Energy Transfer lawyer Trey Cox stated in a press release that Greenpeace’s “violent and destructive” protests were not protected as free speech.
“Today, the jury delivered a resounding verdict, declaring Greenpeace’s actions wrong, unlawful, and unacceptable by societal standards. It is a day of reckoning and accountability for Greenpeace,” Cox said.
The pipeline’s construction faced intense protests from environmental and tribal advocacy groups, who argued the project would contaminate the local water supply and contribute to climate change. The pipeline was completed in 2017 and now transports about 40% of the oil produced in North Dakota’s Bakken region.
