Greenpeace must pay at least $660m over Dakota pipeline protests, says jury

Non-profit, which will appeal decision, says lawsuits like this are aimed at destroying the right to peaceful protest'

A jury in North Dakota has decided that the environmental group Greenpeace must pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the pipeline company Energy Transfer and is liable for defamation and other claims over protests in the state nearly a decade ago.

Energy Transfer Partners, a Dallas-based oil and gas company worth almost $70bn, had sued Greenpeace, alleging defamation and orchestrating criminal behavior by protesters at the Dakota Access pipeline in 2016 and 2017, claiming the organization incited" people to protest by using a misinformation campaign".