The Dakota Access Pipeline Protests have started to spark media attention across the nation. Though many journalists and reporters have been arrested in attempts to report what is happening in Cannon Ball, North Dakota; some images and videos are finally gaining national attention as thousands of supporters rush to stand in solidarity of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
What is the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest About?
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,200-mile project set to transport almost 600,000 barrels of crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois daily. The pipeline would travel under the Missouri River, which is the primary source of drinking water for the 10,000 member Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Not only could this threaten the tribe’s only source of drinking water if damaged, but the pipeline is also set to be constructed in the path of sacred tribe burial grounds.
Why is this a big deal?
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline since first hearing about the plans back in 2014, but the recent camping out in the direct path of builders has made it national news. The project was first proposed in 2014 with an anticipated completion date sometime this year.
Builders say that they have taken extraordinary measures to make sure the pipeline’s stability but protestors say history and numbers speak louder. The Pipeline and Hazardous Administrations has reported more than 3,300 leaks since 2010.
The company leading the construction of the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners and those supportive of the pipeline, are risking the lives of this Native American Tribe as well as forcing government restrictions on their sacred burials grounds.
Peaceful Protests?
Protesters began camping out back in April and more and more flock to support the tribe as the story gains attention. Thousands of people have joined the Standing Rock Sioux tribe at the construction site and surrounding areas to protest construction, slow down the building process, and eventually end any progress in building the pipeline.
Celebrities like Shailene Woodley and Mark Ruffalo have traveled to North Dakota to use their voices to spread awareness, as Woodley’s recent arrest while protesting sparked a whole new wave of media attention and young activists alike.
Journalist Erin Schrode shot with rubber bullets during peaceful protest
Protestors vs. Police Tensions
More than 140 protestors have been arrested, including journalists and media trying to gain information as tensions rise. According to Morton County Sheriff Department, several tribal elders have also been arrested, while praying peacefully in the roadway.
Tanks, armies, and the National Guard have been called in. Protestors and tribe officials have accused law enforcement of unnecessarily rough treatment; including the use of pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion cannons and tasers. While some protestors set barricade fires and screamed at police, most protestors are said to have remained peaceful.
What has the government done about it?
The federal government has done very little; the Obama administration temporarily blocked the construction on the project in September but a federal court intervened and allowed the project to continue.
Not to be forgotten, in the midst of one of the strangest elections in U.S. history, neither presidential candidate has taken a firm stance on the Dakota Access pipeline. Though Donald Trump does own Energy Transfer Partners, he has not made any formal statement regarding the building or the protests and neither has Secretary Clinton.
So, what now?
This is a huge cultural issue that has, against many attempts to prevent media outlets from speaking out, started to gain national attention. The people of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe are fighting for the basic human right to clean drinking water and the ability to preserve their sacred burial grounds. As tensions rise, I fear that things will only get worse in North Dakota before they get better.
I urge you to do your research, get involved, and use your voice to protect a minority’s basic rights. People over Pipeline.
