That's what Greenpeace, an environmental activist group order The ju judges to pay the pipeline company more than $660 million in damages in damages against the honor and loss lawsuit.
Dallas-based company Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access have accused Greenpeace of trespassing, nuisance and civil conspiracy in connection with the 2016 and 2017 protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“Violent and destructive protests are illegal and unacceptable.”
The nine ju umpires in North Dakota awarded a large sum on Wednesday after just two days of deliberation.
The lawsuit accused Greenpeace of paying protesters to demonstrate against the Dakota Pipeline, but the group only said it played a small role in supporting the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
Greenpeace previously said that if the pipeline company's $300 million damages claims abolish the group in the US, ry appellants will award that total more than twice as much.
Deepa Padmanabha, senior legal counsel at Greenpeace USA, said the lawsuit poses a threat to the right to free speech.
“We should all be concerned about our initial amendments and attacks on such lawsuits that truly threaten our right to peaceful protest and freedom of speech,” Padmanava said.
Meanwhile, Energy Transfer Prime Minister Trey Cox argued that the ruling was a victory for free speech.
“Peaceful protest is an inherent American right,” he said. “But violent and destructive protests are illegal and unacceptable.”
The Environmental Group said it appeals to the ruling.
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