On Thursday, October 27th, police arrested 141 unarmed water protectors standing up against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Pepper spray, bean bag rounds, and loud, high-pitched sirens were used that same day to break up the remaining water protectors. On October 22nd, 127 water protectors were arrested.

In response to this mass arrest of mostly peaceful protectors,Western Washington University students and community members got together that night to organize a march in solidarity with the people at Standing Rock. Overnight, the march was organized with close to 200 people participating. Watch the video here.

Marchers gathered downtown on the corner of Cornwall and Magnolia, bringing signs, banners, flags, drums, and speeches to share with the community. Marchers walked to multiple banks, like Bank of America, that support the DAPL. At each bank, members went inside and closed their accounts, while the rest of the group stayed outside and chanted.

The group walked from downtown, up Holly Street to Lakeway Drive, where marchers continued and ended in the Fred Meyer parking lot as dark set in. Along the way, marchers handed out flyers to people in cars that were stopped in the five-o’clock traffic. Drivers honked in support throughout the march, with some cars blocking traffic so marchers could cross the street.

Once the group arrived in the Fred Myer parking lot, everyone gathered in a circle and different leaders and indigenous people spoke to the crowd. Speakers and the crowd all became very emotional, talking about the ways in which the indigenous people have been treated time and time again throughout this country’s history.

A woman who had been to Standing Rock spoke about the camp when she went, tears running down her face as she talked. She said that it was non-violent and a very different atmosphere than it is today, with people being maced, shot with rubber bullets and tased.

There were multiple people from the Lummi nation, the closest tribe to Western Washington University. A Lummi elder was shown in the video thanking everyone for coming and participating in the fight for water, and the lives of many Native Americans. Other Lummi members spoke in the Fred Meyer parking lot, and again thanked all of the participants for coming and showing their solidarity with the people of Standing Rock.

After the speeches, hats and buckets were passed around collecting money for the people at Standing Rock. Money is needed to keep the camp running, and currently, they are running out of medical supplies due to the amount of police-inflicted injuries.

There are many ways in which you can help from where you are right now, such as calling the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414 and sign the White House petition. Call or email your local representatives, donate items from the Sacred Stone supply list, and contribute any funds (no matter how big or small) to the legal defense team.

Along with calling and emailing people involved in the decisions made around DAPL, you can start your own events, or join events like this march and the rally that happened on campus on November 3. Educating yourself is one of the best things you can do from home, as well as giving support to people who are traveling to Standing Rock.

On Tuesday the 8th, I will be leaving school and work to travel 1,350 miles to Canon Bal, North Dakota, where I will be supporting the people who are standing up for their water, and the lives of their children. Four other students will be going along with me, and we are focusing on giving support to the medical and kitchen staff.

Please continue to educate yourself on the events unfolding in North Dakota, and do something about the situation before it is too late. The rights of the indigenous people have been taken away time and time again, and nothing will change if we sit back and watch it happen.

Aho.

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