Chicago City Wire

Greenpeace has been ordered to pay $667 million in damages following a trial where Energy Transfer LP accused the organization of defamation and vandalism during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. 

"Leftwing nutcases and eco terrorist group Greenpeace to pay $667 million in damages for its thuggish campaign last decade to block the Dakota Access Pipeline," Kumar posted on X.

"Energy Transfer LP provided compelling evidence during a three-week trial that Greenpeace defamed the company and abetted vandals," said Kumar. "Its organizers trained protesters and even brought lockboxes they used to chain themselves to construction equipment. Protesters lobbed human feces and burning logs at security officers and vandalized construction equipment."

According to The Times, a North Dakota jury's verdict on March 19, 2025, found Greenpeace liable for defamation, trespassing, and civil conspiracy related to its protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer LP, the pipeline's operator, claimed that Greenpeace's actions led to significant financial losses and property damage during the 2016-2017 protests.

AP News reported that the jury awarded nearly $667 million in damages. Greenpeace USA is responsible for approximately $404 million, while Greenpeace Fund Inc. and Greenpeace International are each liable for about $131 million. These damages include compensatory and punitive amounts, reflecting the jury's findings of malicious intent.

During the protests, some demonstrators engaged in actions such as chaining themselves to construction equipment and throwing objects at security personnel. According to the Wall Street Journal, Energy Transfer LP presented evidence that Greenpeace organizers trained and equipped protesters for these activities, contributing to unrest and property damage.

Kumar is an Indian-American columnist, public speaker, and activist with graduate degrees in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also a recipient of the 2021 San Francisco Press Club’s Bay Area Journalism Award.