"Greenpeace Faces Trial in $300 Million Lawsuit That Could Lead to Bankruptcy"

Greenpeace is set to go on trial on Monday before a North Dakota jury in a high-stakes lawsuit that could potentially bankrupt the organization.

The lawsuit was filed in 2017 by Dallas-based company Energy Transfer, which accused Greenpeace of orchestrating disruptive protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation nearly a decade ago.

Activists argue that the lawsuit is an attempt to suppress free speech and set a dangerous precedent for protest groups, asserting that Greenpeace only played a supporting role in demonstrations led by Native Americans.

“This trial is a critical test of the future of the First Amendment, both freedom of speech and peaceful protest under the Trump administration and beyond,” said Greenpeace’s interim director, Sushma Raman, in public remarks on Thursday.

Energy Transfer declined to comment ahead of the trial. However, in a statement released in August, the company stated that the lawsuit against Greenpeace “is not about free speech as they are trying to claim. It is about them not following the law.”

The trial, set to take place at the state court in Mandan, N.D., is expected to last five weeks. Many observers doubt that Greenpeace, one of the world’s most well-known environmental activist groups, will be able to sway a jury in conservative North Dakota.

Greenpeace said the lawsuit seeks $300 million in damages—more than 10 times its annual budget. Two affiliated entities are also named as defendants: the Greenpeace Fund, a Washington-based group that provides grants to other organizations, and Greenpeace International, based in the Netherlands.

The Dakota Access Pipeline was approved in 2016, prompting widespread protests from Native American groups, who argued it would threaten sacred land and the local water supply. The 1,170-mile pipeline, which transports oil from North Dakota to Illinois, became a flashpoint for environmental and indigenous rights activists.

Thousands of protesters gathered near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, forming an encampment that lasted for months. Tribal leaders sued to halt the pipeline’s construction, rallying behind the slogan “Water Is Life.” Clashes between protesters and law enforcement were frequent, with Energy Transfer alleging that key equipment was damaged and its financial backing suffered as a result.

Activist Waniya Locke, a Standing Rock resident, emphasized the grassroots nature of the movement and the role of women in leading it. “We stood on the river banks unarmed,” she said.

Though the encampment was eventually dismantled, the pipeline remains operational, though final approvals are still pending.

President Trump’s former interior secretary pick, Doug Burgum, served as North Dakota’s governor until last year. Meanwhile, Kelcy Warren, founder and executive chairman of Energy Transfer LP, is a Trump supporter and a major political donor.