On 20 March 2025, a North Dakota jury ruled in favour of fossil fuel company Energy Transfer and found Greenpeace liable for defamation and other claims in connection with the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline that took place in 2016 and 2017, led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Experts say the multimillion award raises “serious free speech concerns”. The lawsuit has been widely denounced as a case that bears the hallmarks of a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), which Energy Transfer denies.

In October 2025, a North Dakota judge partially granted Greenpeace’s challenge to the jury verdict and reduced the damages from USD660 million to USD345 million. Energy Transfer says it will appeal the decision, while Greenpeace says it will seek a new trial.

The case started in August 2017, when Energy Transfer (formerly Energy Transfer Partners), the operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in the US, filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace International, Greenpeace entities, other organizations, and individual defendants, accusing them of unlawful and fraudulent speech intended to harm the company and cause it to lose investments in its pipeline. The company sought close to $1 billion in damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). On 14 February 2019, a federal court dismissed this lawsuit.

On 21 February 2019, following the dismissal of the first lawsuit, Energy Transfers brought another lawsuit against the Greenpeace entities and others in the North Dakota state court. The complaint included claims related to defamation, conspiracy, and other torts. On 20 March 2025, a North Dakota jury ruled in favor of the company.

In July 2024, Greenpeace International sent a Notice of Liability to Energy Transfer’s headquarters in Dallas, Texas, informing the intention to bring a lawsuit against the company in a Dutch Court to recover all damage and costs it has suffered as a result of the lawsuit in the US based on the European Union anti-SLAPP Directive adopted in April 2024.

In February 2025, Greenpeace filed a complaint against Energy Transfer before a Dutch court against Energy Transfer using the EU anti-SLAPP Directive. The first hearing took place in July 2025.

In July 2025, Energy Transfer asked a North Dakota judge to block Greenpeace's lawsuit. In September 2025, the judge denied the request. The company has appealed the decision before the North Dakota Supreme Court.

Find here the court documents from the North Dakota case.