Environmental group Greenpeace has been ordered to pay more than $660 million in damages for defamation and other claims brought by a pipeline company in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline’s construction in North Dakota. The jury found Greenpeace USA liable for all counts, while Greenpeace Fund Inc. and Greenpeace International were found liable for some. The damages will be spread out across the three entities, with Greenpeace USA being responsible for nearly $404 million of the total.
Greenpeace plans to appeal the decision, stating that a large award could threaten to bankrupt the organization. Despite the verdict, Greenpeace’s senior legal adviser emphasized that their work to protect the environment will continue. Energy Transfer, the pipeline company, hailed the verdict as a win for Americans who understand the difference between free speech and breaking the law.
The case stems from protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposes due to water supply concerns. Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace of trying to stop the pipeline’s construction through actions that Greenpeace denies. The verdict sends a clear message that peaceful protest rights must be exercised within the bounds of the law.
Greenpeace has stated that they will face Energy Transfer in court in Amsterdam in July in an anti-intimidation lawsuit. The organization remains committed to fighting against Big Oil and protecting the environment despite the legal challenges they face.
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