Greenpeace Ordered to Pay $345 Million Over Dakota Access Pipeline Protests

A North Dakota judge announced he will order Greenpeace to pay damages expected to total $345 million in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline from nearly a decade ago. The environmental group contends it cannot pay the staggering sum, raising the prospect that one of the world's most prominent environmental organizations could face financial ruin over its role in the Standing Rock protests. The ruling represents the largest damages award against an environmental activist group in American history and sends a chilling signal to protest movements that engage in direct action against energy infrastructure.