Since April, Native American tribes have been protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline project or #DAPL, which is supposed to transport crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The #StandingRock tribe began protesting, because the pipeline could potentially pollute their main water source which is the Missouri River. As of late, the police have become more aggressive.
UPDATE FROM OCETI SAKOWIN MEDIC – Standing Rock EMT on the ground, medics working hard to keep Water Protectors warm & treat wounds #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/OuZOYXRd2Q
— Indigenous Environmental Network (@IENearth) November 21, 2016
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“They were attacked with water cannons,” organizer LaDonna Brave Bull Allard told The Guardian. “It is 23 degrees [-5 °C] out there with mace, rubber bullets, pepper spray, etc. They are being trapped and attacked. Pray for my people.” In addition to these things, last night, police began spraying protesters with water cannons which only continued to put their health in danger, but the police are sharing a different story.
“There are multiple fires being set by protesters on the bridge and in the area of the bridge,” Morton County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Donnell Hushka told CNN. “We have fire trucks on the scene they are using their fire hoses to put out the fires, wet the land around so fires don’t spread and they are also using water as crowd control.”
Considering that the temperature had reached 23* F, The Standing Rock Medic and Healer Council issued an emergency statement calling on police to “immediately stop the potentially lethal use of these confrontational methods against people peacefully assembled.” It’s pretty inhumane to spray people with water when it’s that cold! This places so many of these people at risk for hypothermia.
All I have to say is that it’s pretty ironic that the Native Americans are going through this just days before Thanksgiving. It will more than likely continue after he holiday as well. Roommates, keep these people in your prayers! They’re fighting for one of the few pure water sources they have left.
TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
Source: https://www.google.com/amp/fusion.net/story/371432/standing-rock-no-dapl-backwater-bridge/amp/
