Protesters were seen with placards that read “Native Lives Matters” and “Water Is Life”, and chanting the slogans energetically but peacefully, when security personnel sprayed pepper spray into the crowd. If people are unhappy about issues – protests are a great way to stand as a group and initiate a social change and conversation. Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II said he will continue to promote peace at the worksites.
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Since the beginning, Archambault said his message has been about non-violence and promoting peace. “These grounds are the resting place of our ancestors”. The desecration of these ancient places has already caused the Standing Rock Sioux irreparable harm. “In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground”, said the Standing Rock chairman.
Security guards confront Indigneous protesters with dogs and pepper spray.
Tribe spokesman Steve Sitting Bear says protesters reported that six people had been bitten by security dogs, including a young child, and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Donnell Preskey said law enforcement authorities had no reports of protesters being injured.
The True North coalition sent an initial wave of volunteers, and “sent a second delegation of nearly 50 Yurok, Karuk, and Hoopa Tribal members to North Dakota to set up a kitchen to feed the massive gathering of tribal members and allies”, according to their statement. The oil pipeline is scheduled to next “run under the Missouri river”. If built, the line would carry a half-million barrels of crude oil across the Tribe’s treaty lands each day.
The motion seeks to prevent additional construction work on an area two miles west of North Dakota Highway 1806, and within 20 miles of Lake Oahe until a judge rules on the Tribe’s previous motion to stop construction.
Harold C. Frazier has called on members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to avoid travelling to main centres in the Mandan-Bismarck area and says he is concerned for their safety.
“We urge all protesters to participate only in peaceful and lawful activities”, Dalrymple said.
FOX 10’s Marcy Jones has more on the history of the pipeline. The Native American tribes insists that in the event of a spill, which is very likely, multiple farmlands, and more critically, the large drinking water reservoirs would be irreparably contaminated.
When it did, the researchers found burial rock piles called cairns and other sites that have historic significance to the Native Americans, and which are in a danger from the pipeline.
It’s unknown at this point if there were any injuries to the security officers or protesters.
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According to a post on the Sacred Stone Camp’s Facebook page, “Last night 3,000 natives and our allies were at camp as the announcement was made about DAPL security macing people and that an unarmed pregnant woman was bitten by dogs sicced on the crowd”.
