They’re actively protesting the restarting of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
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Dakota Access Pipeline protesters square off against police between the Standing Rock Reservation and the pipeline route outside the little town of Saint Anthony, North Dakota, U.S., October 5, 2016.
The Standing Rock Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux tribes have filed a joint lawsuit against the pipeline project in federal court.
Blue Eagle Vigil, a Kumeyaay Native American from San Diego said he traveled to Washington to uphold “native rights”. The pipeline is due to be complete and ready for oil by April 1. They said the pipeline was reminiscent of an ancient prophesy of a Black Snake that would harm natives and that they could not use other water supplies in the region because they had been polluted by decades of mining.
“We just want to stand with them and show we care”, she said.
However, President Donald Trump restarted the construction work with an executive order shortly after taking office in January.
Led by the Standing Rock Sioux, more than 100 Native American tribes have warned that the four-state pipeline would destroy their sacred sites and contaminate their water resources. They also worry about the impact on nearby sacred lands.
“We are not defeated, we are not defeated and we are not going to be the victims”, he said. “We have reached a critical moment in time where citizens are realizing we must stand for the core of humanity”.
The Native Nations Rise march will demand Trump and Congress respect tribal rights to clean water and air and stop treating their communities as sacrifice zones for fossil fuel projects, Dallas Goldtooth said.
Standing Rock Sioux tribe members, other advocates and a few celebrity supporters gathered in the nation’s capital on Friday for a series of events, including a massive demonstration outside the White House. “But the real thing is we are here for our youth and here for our future”.
Teepees were erected on the National Mall as part of the protest. The pipeline is meant to transport domestically produced light crude oil from the U.S. state of North Dakota through the states of South Dakota and Iowa into IL. “Your job, my job, is to bring those people together and say to Trump and his corporate friends that he can’t do this”.
“I’m living on occupied land”, she said. Authorities last month closed the camp in advance of spring flooding season and set up roadblocks to prevent protesters from returning.
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Janie Pochel drove to Washington from Chicago for the event after having joined the protest camp from August through November of previous year. It’s aimed at helping people feel somewhat less helpless and hopeless (or at least in control of their helplessness and hopelessness) in the midst of a political news cycle that’s been doling out daily affronts to human decency. Patricia, who preferred to be known by her first name only, explained her view of the largest Native American resistance in a century. “The government is going to do what the government has always done, but we’ve mobilised millions of people around the world”. “Everyone there was more than willing to help any person who came into the camp, and much of the days were filled with peaceful singing or prayer at the camp center”.
