Standing Rock Pipeline Protest

[thorfourwinds]

[thorfourwinds]

[thorfourwinds]

Police Violence Escalates As Provocateurs Infiltrate Standing Rock, #NoDAPL Protests

While reporting from the Dakota Access pipeline protests, MintPress News reporter Derrick Broze witnessed the actions of destructive forces which have infiltrated the peaceful Native-led movement and provoked increasingly violent responses from law enforcement.

By Derrick Broze | November 6, 2016

In stark contrast to the water protectors' many actions of peaceful prayer and ceremony, the atmosphere at the bridge the night of Oct. 27 was more reminiscent of an outdoor rave. The protesters on the bridge set fire to an SUV, and threw rocks and other objects at a row of armored vehicles operated by law enforcement. This small faction of non-peaceful protesters and officers briefly tossed smoke bombs back and forth.

Officers eventually lit two smoke bombs on the north side of the bridge before parking two armored vehicles at the exit to the bridge, preventing water protectors and protestors from evacuating in that direction. All law enforcement vehicles were gone within a matter of minutes, and protesters climbed aboard the armored vehicles before setting fire to them.

WAIT JUST A FORKIN' SECOND.
We are to believe that the 'law enforcement' retreated and left a couple MRAPS to be vandalized and set afire? Yeah, right... 

When several water protectors came to the bridge, they told those setting the fires and instigating violence that this isn't what they want for the movement.

"If you feel uncomfortable, if you don't like this action, go back to camp," one of the men shouted back at the water protectors.

Saying prayer had failed, the small group of non-peaceful protesters said they were now fighting "by any means necessary."

The fires they set burned throughout the night, as neither law enforcement nor fire department personnel ever arrived at the scene to extinguish the flames.

Agitators make their presence known

On Oct. 28, water protectors and elders arrived on the scene to retake the bridge from the agitating faction in all-black clothing, a tactic for protests and marches known as "black bloc." There were no more than 20 of these provocateurs, and they all traveled together in five older pick-up trucks. Several fights broke out on the bridge as the agitators clashed with those calling strictly for prayer and ceremony, and the agitators were run off the bridge and back to the camps within an hour.

Siouxz, the head of security on the frontline camp off North Dakota Highway 1806, said those who started the fires were not with the water protector movement.

"Seven Council has came and they are very ashamed of the behavior of some of the non-traditional people here who can't respect our ways and how we want to make this prayerful," Siouxz told MintPress News.

"We're here to protect the water, not initiate a riot or some violent protest, which is the image that the whole world is getting right now. Our elders have come together to condemn all of these wrongful actions like catching things on fire."

Apparently intent on forcing their tactics upon the movement, these outside forces appeared uninterested in listening to the Standing Rock Sioux or other Native water protectors.

Although the black bloc tactic has been used as a legitimate way for protesters to shield their identities from law enforcement, it has also been exploited by law enforcement. Police masquerading as black bloc activists have been exposed at the 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, and at protests in 2007 in Quebec, and police posed as activists to infiltrate the Occupy movement.

#NoDAPL: Native American Leaders Vow to Stay All Winter, File Lawsuit Against Police

Amnesty International are sending a delegation of human rights observers to monitor the response of law enforcement to the protests.

By Common Dreams | October 31, 2016

Native American leaders vowed on Saturday to protest through the winter against a North Dakota oil pipeline they say threatens water resources and sacred lands and are planning lawsuits over police treatment of arrested protesters.

Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II said he and other tribal leaders were working on providing food, heat and shelter for protesters opposed to the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline.

"We're just working through some technical details as far as where the land is, and the type of land that can be used for some permanent structures," Archambault told reporters in Mandan, North Dakota on Saturday morning.

At least 10 shelters were being readied on tribal land against temperatures that can fall below -35 Fahrenheit (-37 Celsius) for days at time, he said.

"It doesn't have to put our water at risk," said Archambault, who was joined by Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Harold Frazier.

The two leaders said they're considering taking legal action against law enforcement. Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II said more than 40 people were injured, including broken bones and welts from rubber bullets and bean bag rounds fired by law enforcement on Thursday, Oct. 27th.

Archambault said his tribe may pursue a class action over police tactics. Officers in riot gear swept through a protester camp on private land using pepper spray, bean bag rounds and an audio cannon aiming high-pitched "sound cannon" blasts against demonstrators. At least 142 people were arrested on Thursday and Friday.

Protesters had numbers written on their arms and were housed in what appeared to be dog kennels, without bedding or furniture.

"It's just wrong to use that type of force on innocent people," Archambault said Saturday, Oct. 29, during a press conference in front of the Morton County Sheriff's Department.

Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Harold Frazier said he has heard reports of inhumane treatment while people were incarcerated.

"All they're doing is standing up to protect that water," Frazier said.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) announced that they are sending a delegation of human rights observers to monitor the response of law enforcement to the protests.

AIUSA also has sent a letter to the Morton County Sheriff's Department expressing concern about the degree of force used against the protests. The organization will also call on the Department of Justice to investigate police practices.

AIUSA sent a delegation of observers to the area in August and has stayed in contact both with the Indigenous community and those policing the protests since then. Letters had previously been sent to the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the Morton County Sheriff'soffice calling for law enforcement officers to respect international human rights standards on the policing of protests.

"Our observers are here to ensure that everyone's human rights are protected," said Eric Ferrero, director of communications for AIUSA. "We're deeply concerned about what we heard during our previous visit to Standing Rock and what has been reported to us since."

In some instances, police have responded to protesters with pepper spray and bean bags, and in one instance, private security staff used guard dogs. Those recently arrested have reported being strip searched and forced to pay bail for minor offenses. Members of the media and legal observers have also been arrested or charged with minor offenses.

"People here just want to stand up for the rights of Indigenous people and protect their natural resources. These people should not be treated like the enemy," said Ferrero "Police must keep the peace using minimal force appropriate to the situation. Confronting men, women, and children while outfitted in gear more suited for the battlefield is a disproportionate response."

[thorfourwinds]

UPDATES













Standing Rock: New Arrests as Key Obama Admin Decision Looms

Published 12 November 2016

[thorfourwinds]

[thorfourwinds]

Gallery: Portraits from the Standing Rock protests




Coloradans Protesting North Dakota Pipeline




What happens next at Standing Rock?

[thorfourwinds]

Published on Nov 18, 2016
Energy Transfer Partners: (214) 981-0700
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers: (202) 761-0010; (202) 761-0014
Department of Justice: (202)-353-1555; (202)-514-2000






Published on Nov 16, 2016
A Standing Rock protester has claimed that the authorities have begun flying aircraft over their camp at night, and that at least one of them is dispersing some sort of chemical agent onto the camp. We know that the authorities like to use low-flying aircraft as a form of intimidation for the psychological effect, and that they also are no strangers of spraying the populace with chemical agents. But unfortunately, until we get better proof this protester's claims are all that we have.











Published on Nov 17, 2016
Big Picture Politics Panel: Robert Kennedy Jr., Waterkeeper Alliance. As protests continue over the Dakota Access Pipeline - the looming shadow of President-Elect Donald Trump threatens to inflame the entire movement. Are the next two months the last chance we have to stop a pipeline that threatens the drinking water of 18 million people? Robert Kennedy Jr. - just back from North Dakota - weighs in...






Published on Nov 2, 2016
Energy Transfer Partners: (214) 981-0700
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers: (202) 761-0010; (202) 761-0014
Department of Justice: (202)-353-1555; (202)-514-2000




Oil Police Assault Water Protector Holding PRAYER STICK




HEROIC Veteran Stands Up To Heavily Armed Police




Drone Pilots EXPOSING Oil Police Violence




Pipeline Owner Laughing In Obama's Face

[zorgon]

[thorfourwinds]

Nice one there, mate.   

[spacemaverick]

In this case, I stand with the Standing Rock Tribe.  This land if I am not mistaken was given to them under a treaty.  There have been other recent incidents (elsewhere) that pipelines breaking has contaminated the land.

[spacemaverick]

http://standingrock.org/fort-laramie-treaty/

Here is the link to the Standing Rock Treaty of 1868 better known as the Fort Laramie Treaty.

FORT LARAMIE TREATY
APRIL 29, 1868

TREATY WITH THE SIOUX-- BRULÉ, OGLALA, MINICONJOU, YANKTONAI, HUNKPAPA, BLACKFEET, CUTHEAD, TWO KETTLE, SANS ARCS, AND SANTEE--AND ARAPAHO
15 Stat., 635.
Ratified, Feb. 16, 1869.
Proclaimed, Feb. 24, 1869

Articles of a treaty made and concluded by and between Lieutenant-General William T. Sherman, General William S. Harney, General Alfred H. Terry, General C. C,. Augur, J. B. Henderson, Nathaniel G. Taylor, John B. Sanborn, and Samuel F. Tappan, duly appointed commissioners on the part of the United States, and the different bands of the Sioux Nation of Indians, by their chiefs and head-men, whose names are hereto subscribed, they being duly authorized to act in the premises.

[spacemaverick]

http://www.facebook.com/Standing-Rock-Sioux-Tribe-402298239798452/?fref=ts

Their Facebook page has a video along with others that provide information about Standing Rock.

[thorfourwinds]

[thorfourwinds]

With great respect
thorfourwinds
Peace Love Light
Hec'el oinipikte

[Sgt.Rocknroll]

Correct me if I'm wrong, and I probably am, but isn't the pipeline on privately own land and not on reservation land? And isn't the problem of a water crossing that is also on privately own land? And the Indians are concerned about water contamination of their water source?
Just trying to be clear.