A North Dakota jury has ordered Greenpeace to pay more than $660 million to Energy Transfer, the operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline, after finding the environmental group liable for damages incurred during protests. Advocacy groups have criticized the ruling as a potential weaponization of the legal system, calling it a significant threat to free speech and dissent. This decision could have dire financial implications for Greenpeace, raising concerns about its future as the group contemplates potential bankruptcy. Legal experts are viewing this case as a pivotal moment that may reshape the landscape of protest rights amid an increasingly contentious political climate.