An oil pipeline protest in North Dakota turned violent on Saturday, as private contractors reportedly used dogs and pepper spray against demonstrators who say the construction project will desecrate sacred lands and damage the environment.
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Standing Rock Sioux tribe spokesperson Steve Sitting Bear also told the Associated Press that a young child had been bitten, and 30 people were pepper sprayed.
One security officer was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries, and the two guard dogs were taken to a Bismarck veterinary clinic, according to the Morton County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Donnell Preskey.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe claims the crew dug up and destroyed sacred burial grounds, places of prayer and other cultural artefacts – even after the pipeline developer had voluntarily paused construction in the disputed area less than a mile (1.6 kilometer) from the tribe’s reservation.
Preskey says there were no law enforcement personnel at the site when the incident occurred and that the crowd disbursed when officers arrived and no one was arrested.
“We urge all protesters to participate only in peaceful and lawful activities”, Dalrymple said.
“They were able to stop the pipeline by giving them the run over the next ridge”, said George Henry, a bystander.
They protest against a new oil pipeline being constructed.
“This demolition is devastating”, Archambault said.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is anxious that the DAPL will disturb or potentially destroy sacred sites and might negatively impact drinking water for both thousands of tribe members and millions of others downstream. Protesters were maced and bitten by guard dogs during the confrontation.
A federal judge will rule before September 9 whether construction can be halted on the pipeline.
The next day, workers with the Dakota Access Pipeline brought in bulldozers on the land, which prompted protesters stationed at a camp on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land to move to where the construction was taking place on a piece of property on the west side of Highway 1806.
“Once protestors arrived at the construction site, they broke down a wire fence by stepping and jumping on it”, the sheriff’s office said.
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Court documents by tribal officer Tim Mentz confirm that burial rock piles and historical artifacts have been found on the site. The Morton County Sherriff’s department said three private security guards were injured after being struck with fence posts and flag poles.
