Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior
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A jury in North Dakota has ordered Greenpeace to pay more than $660 million in damages for defaming Energy Transfer Partners, the corporation behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Texas-based pipeline company accused Greenpeace of orchestrating criminal behavior by training and providing funds to the Indigenous-led protests at Standing Rock. Greenpeace and its supporters, including other nonprofits and advocacy groups, argued that the lawsuit is part of a conspicuous attempt by corporations to destroy the right to free speech.
Longtime human rights and environmental lawyer Steven Donziger, who was part of the independent trial monitoring team observing the trial, says it was purposely held in a region of the country with deep ties to the fossil fuel industry. Donziger said most of the jurors in the case were connected to the industry and were “predisposed” to rule in favor of Energy Transfer despite the “false narratives” presented at the trial. Greenpeace plans to appeal the ruling.
Greenpeace said it played a minor role at the protests, and warned the lawsuit was aimed at destroying the right to peaceful protest. Greenpeace attorney Deepa Padmanabha spoke outside the North Dakota courthouse on Wednesday.
Deepa Padmanabha: “What we saw these last three weeks was Energy Transfer’s blatant disregard for the voices of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. And while they also tried to rewrite Greenpeace’s story, what this trial showed was Greenpeace’s unwavering commitment to nonviolence in every action that we take. We should all be concerned about the attacks on our First Amendment and lawsuits like this that really threaten our rights to peaceful protest and free speech. And Greenpeace is going to continue its fight to protect these fundamental rights for everyone.”
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