A North Dakota state court has ruled that Greenpeace is liable for nearly US$667 million in damages following its involvement in protests against the Dakota Access pipeline between 2016 and 2017.
The lawsuit was brought by Energy Transfer, a Texas-based pipeline company, which accused Greenpeace of unlawfully disrupting construction and spreading false information regarding the project near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
After a two-day deliberation, the jury found Greenpeace responsible for defamation, trespassing, and conspiracy during the protests.
The verdict included over US$400 million in punitive damages, intended to penalise the environmental advocacy group for their actions.
Energy Transfer lawyer Trey Cox stated that Greenpeace’s “violent and destructive” protests were not legally protected 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.
Despite the ruling, Greenpeace has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the case is an attack on free speech rights.
The group’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the verdict.
Greenpeace attorney Deepa Padmanabha stated: “We are an advocacy group. We engage in peaceful protest.”
The Dakota Access pipeline project, which began in 2016 and was completed in 2017, transports approximately 40 per cent of the oil produced in North Dakota’s Bakken region.
Energy Transfer conveyed that the verdict was a “win for all law-abiding Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law”.
The company stated to USA Today: “While we are pleased that Greenpeace has been held accountable for their actions against us, this win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace.”
