The charges stemmed from allegations of defamation against an energy company and the group's involvement in disruptive protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline project in 2016 and 2017.
Energy Transfer, the firm behind the pipeline project, initiated a lawsuit against Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace International, and Greenpeace Fund in 2019. The energy company sought $300 million in damages, accusing the activist group of defamation and promoting criminal activities aimed at the pipeline by protestors opposed to the project, as reported by The Associated Press. Greenpeace had previously suggested that a $300 million judgement could potentially dismantle the group’s U.S. operations.
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The jury's verdict now mandates Greenpeace to pay Energy Transfer a staggering $667 million, according to The Washington Post. This ruling marks a significant victory for the energy company and a severe blow to the environmental activist group.
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Energy Transfer expressed gratitude to the judge and jury for their dedication to the trial. A spokesperson for the company stated, "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. It is also a win for all law-abiding Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law. That the disrupters have been held responsible is a win for all of us.”
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Greenpeace, on the other hand, viewed Energy Transfer’s lawsuit as an assault on First Amendment-protected speech. However, the jury in Mandan, N.D., did not concur with this perspective. Deepa Padmanabha, a senior legal advisor for Greenpeace USA, said, “What we saw over these three weeks was Energy Transfer’s blatant disregard for the voices of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. And while they also tried to distort the truth about Greenpeace’s role in the protests, we instead reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to non-violence in every action we take. After almost eight years, we were proud to share our story with the people of Mandan and beyond.”
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Energy Transfer's lawsuit alleged that Greenpeace compensated external activists to appear at the development site, trained activists, supplied materials to construct blockades, and amplified false claims about the pipeline in a broader scheme to derail the project.
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Kelcy Warren, the co-founder of Energy Transfer and a supporter of President Donald Trump, expressed his belief that Greenpeace was responsible for costing his company millions of dollars and delaying the pipeline's construction. He once controversially suggested that climate activists should be “removed from the gene pool.” In a 2017 interview, Warren stated, “Everybody is afraid of these environmental groups and the fear that it may look wrong if you fight back with these people. But what they did to us is wrong, and they’re gonna pay for it.”
This ruling underscores the tension between energy companies and environmental activists, and the potential legal repercussions for groups that engage in disruptive protests. It also raises questions about the balance between free speech and unlawful actions, a debate that will likely continue in the wake of this significant verdict.
