#NoDAPL. I've seen this hashtag pasted all across social media, but I never paid much attention to it until I watched the video of Shailene Woodley being arrested. Looking into this, I found out she was protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. This was a pipeline that was initially supposed to run close to Bismark, the capital of North Dakota. But due to the feedback coming out of the capital, the path of the pipe was re-routed. Now the pipe is slated to go through the unceded Sioux Territory under the 1851 Treaty of Ft. Laramie (here is a link to a site that will show the map of the initial route as well as the new route). The consequences of this could prove fatal to the inhabitants of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation,as well as others who depend on water from the Missouri River, potentially poisoning their drinking water if the pipe were to burst. Yet despite peaceful protest after peaceful protest, the route of the pipeline has not been moved this time.

I have been following this story since mid-October (for those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you see these posts from me all the time), sending thoughts and support when I could. But on the 20th of November, the true horrors of what these people have been going through were exposed to the world. A live stream was posted by Kevin Gilbertt on Facebook of peaceful protestors being sprayed continuously with a water cannon in sub-freezing temperatures. Protestors were shot with rubber bullets, hitting a 13-year-old girl in the face. Flash grenades were thrown into the crowd. In total,160 protestors were injured in the six-hour standoff. Did I mention these protestors were unarmed? To add to the injustice of the situation, this incident was not covered by any mainstream media outlets.

Sitting here writing this article, I receive a notification on social media that Kevin Gilbertt is doing another live stream video. This time it is about a woman named Sophia Walinsky, a protestor in last night's stand-off. She is in the hospital after a concussion grenade destroyed her arm (please don't look at the pictures-I cannot stop crying).

The madness and police brutality has to stop. There is no reason to be firing water cannons and concussion grenades on peaceful protestors who want the promise of clean water. We cannot ignore this problem any longer.

I beg you, spread the word. Send your thoughts, prayers, and support to those who are fighting for something we take for granted daily. The link provided below lists ways we can get involved. We are better than this brutality and hatred. This has to stop.