Police arrest 141 as they clear Dakota Access protest

(October 28) Police garbed in riot gear, along with armored vehicles used pepper spray and batons to disperse over 300 protesters and clear out a camp. The protesters, many from the Standing Sioux tribe, were trying to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

 

Police ended up arresting 141 protesters mostly aboriginal. North Dakota Governor, Jack Dalrymple, claimed police were successful in clearing the camp. He also said that private property was no place to carry out a peaceful protest. The Standing Rock Tribe claim that they own the property under the terms of an 1851 treaty with the U.S. government.

The proposed $3.8 billion pipeline is claimed by environmentalists and the Standing Rock Sioux to be a threat to the water supply and also sacred tribal sites However, as noted in a recent Digital Journal article several government agencies have also been critical of the project including the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The protesters tried to fend off the security forces by throwing rocks, bottles and even Moltov cocktails. They chained themselves to vehicles and and started fires according to police. The 1,172 mile pipeline is being built by Energy Transfer Partners would deliver oil from the Bakken shale oil in North Dakota to US Gulf Coast refineries. Supporters claim it would be safer than transport by rail or road. There are many financial institutions involved in financing the project. 17 different financial institutions from several different countries have loans out for the construction to the amount of $2.5 billion. However, if you consider lines of credit as well, 38 banks are involved to the tune of $10.25 billion.

Standing Rock tribal chief Dave Archembault II said: "I knew North Dakota state was planning something. They set up a pre-hospital tent near the camp. … That was sending me signals this was going to get out of hand." Archembault had asked the Department of Justice to tell the state not to proceed with the raid. He wants an investigation into the use of force by police. The police not only had military armoured vehicles MRAPS but also LRAD a long range acoustical device that makes piercing sounds that make people ill. The chief said that the company only needed to reroute the pipeline for the protest to stop. Archembault claimed that Obama could deny the easement.

Archembault chided Hillary Clinton for not taking a position on the issue instead of sitting on the fence. Archembault concluded:

"..let the union workers reroute this pipeline away from water, and we’ll protect them so they have safe jobs and everybody’s happy. All the politicians, all the people who get oil industry contributions for their campaigns, the economy, the national security, the energy independence will all be there. Just reroute this, deny the easement, and let’s put an end to this, once and for all. "