Roscoe Streyle, Minot

I want to commend the Mandan jury for their courageous and just decision on March 19, 2025, to hold Greenpeace accountable for their role in the destructive and violent Dakota Access Pipeline protests of 2016 and 2017. This verdict, which ordered Greenpeace to pay over $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer, is a victory not only for our state but for law-abiding citizens everywhere who value order and fairness over chaos and exploitation.

The protests, fueled and funded by Greenpeace, brought daily harassment, vandalism, and disruption to the good people of Mandan and surrounding communities. What began as a local concern was hijacked by an international organization with an agenda, turning our streets into battlegrounds and our citizens into unwilling hostages to their reckless tactics. The jury saw through the smokescreen of “peaceful protest” and recognized the truth: Greenpeace’s actions crossed the line into lawlessness, costing our state millions and leaving scars on our communities.

This decision sends a clear message that no group, no matter how well-funded or loudly they claim moral superiority, is above the law. The nine jurors in Mandan stood up for North Dakota values — hard work, respect for property, and the rule of law — by holding Greenpeace accountable for the damage they orchestrated. Their award of over $660 million reflects the real harm inflicted, from delayed construction to the economic ripple effects felt by families and businesses across our region.

I applaud Energy Transfer for pursuing justice and the jury for delivering it. This ruling is a win for the people of Mandan, who endured months of turmoil, and for every North Dakotan who believes in protecting our way of life. Let it be a warning to those who think they can exploit our state for their own ends: we will not stand idly by.