A $300 million trial over Greenpeace’s involvement in destructive protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) began on Monday, threatening the eco-activist group with potential bankruptcy.

Jury selection kicked off as Energy Transfer Partners, the developer of the DAPL, pursues its lawsuit accusing Greenpeace of defamation and inciting sabotage during the pipeline’s construction in 2016 and 2017, the Daily Wire reported.

Greenpeace has framed the lawsuit as a free speech battle, arguing that the case is an attempt to silence environmental activism.

“This case is a prime example of corporations abusing the legal system to silence critics and keep their operations secret,” Greenpeace USA interim executive director Sushma Raman said in a statement. “It is also a critical test of the future of the First Amendment – both freedom of speech and peaceful protest – under the Trump Administration and beyond. But we are fighting back, and we are not fighting back alone.”

Energy Transfer has remained publicly silent ahead of the trial. However, last year, the company stated that the lawsuit is focused on illegal interference in the pipeline’s construction—not a matter of “free speech.”

“Our lawsuit against Greenpeace is not about free speech as they are trying to claim. It is about them not following the law. We support the rights of all Americans to express their opinions and lawfully protest. However, when it is not done in accordance with our laws, we have a legal system to deal with that. Beyond that we will let our case speak for itself in February,” the company said in September.

Protesters inflicted millions of dollars in damage through attacks on the Dakota Access Pipeline and construction equipment.

One activist, Jessica Reznicek, was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2021 after setting a bulldozer on fire and using an acetylene torch to sabotage sections of the pipeline.

Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace and others in 2017 of “directly and indirectly fund[ing] eco-terrorists on the ground in North Dakota. These groups formed their own outlaw camp among peaceful protestors gathered near Lake Oahe, and exploited the peaceful activities of these groups to further the Enterprise’s corrupt agenda by inducing and directing violent and destructive attacks against law enforcement as well as Plaintiffs’ property and personnel.”