Above photo: From Sacred Stone Camp Facebook page. At least six peaceful water protectors were bit by dogs and dozens were pepper sprayed today by private security at a Dakota Access pipeline construction site. One horse was also bit in the attack.
Dogs, Pepper Spray and Guards
On September 3, the Dakota Access pipeline company attacked Native Americans with dogs and pepper spray as they protested against the $3.8 billion pipeline’s construction. If completed, the pipeline would carry about 500,000 barrels of crude per day from North Dakota’s Bakken oilfield to Illinois. The project has faced months of resistance from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and members of nearly 100 more tribes from across the U.S. and Canada.
North Dakota – A group of nearly 100 people crossed onto private land to stop bulldozers that were clearing land for the Dakota Access pipeline on September 1.
Construction was shut down for the day on Saturday as private security guards from Dakota Access LLC arrived with barking guard dogs to push back the crowd of water protectors, including women, children and horses. It was reported that company security guards used pepper spray in addition to canine units.
In a statement released in a live-stream on Facebook, Red Warrior Camp leaders said that at about 3pm on Saturday September 3, “water protectors successfully stopped pipeline construction as it reached Hwy. 1806 through nonviolent direct action and mass assembly.”
As they did so, private security guards working for Dakota Access LLC “deployed vicious attack dogs, pepper spray and physical assault against the water protectors,” Red Warrior said. “According to the most recent update, six water protectors were bitten by dogs, a dozen or more pepper sprayed, while others were physically assaulted, including women. A helicopter was photographed flying over the area.
“Red Warrior Camp was nonviolent and unarmed throughout this action,” they said in a statement. “We will remain nonviolent and unarmed. We ask supporters to do so as well.”
They also asked supporters to take note of the fact that Dakota Access’s parent company, Energy Transfer Crude Oil Co. LLC, “feels justified in using this level of force against unarmed and nonviolent water protectors and the state officers that are sworn to protect the people allowed it.”
Red Warrior put out an all-call for “ALL water warriors around the world to come stand with us, inviting supporters to join us in prayer” during two Weeks of Global Solidarity Actions between September 3 and 17.
This is a developing story; ICTMN will post updates as they become available.