‘Unprecedented’ Greenpeace Verdict Set to Chill US Activism

March 21, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC

A North Dakota jury this week found Greenpeace liable for defamation, conspiracy and other claims over its participation in the Dakota Access pipeline protests that lasted from 2016 to 2017, awarding developer Energy Transfer LP $660 million in damages. Legal experts warn the decision could significantly deter other environmental groups from protesting oil and gas companies and their infrastructure around the US.

“The potential for liability itself will have a chilling effect,” said Jennifer Safstrom, an assistant clinical law professor at Vanderbilt University.

Josh Galperin, an associate law professor at Pace University, described the verdict as “unprecedented” and the amount of ...

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