Decent People Everywhere Are Steamed about the Violent Reaction to the Protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline
Here’s a meme I hope you enjoy that speaks to the Dakota Access pipeline and the protest surrounding it, that I mentioned earlier today. I thought it was clever.
I don’t understand how the pipeline company expects to get away with such barbaric behavior. This is 2016, not 1816.
Craig,
Not being present at the protest, nor a citizen of North Dakota, I must rely upon the media to form an opinion.
The media reflect the sympathies and opinions of authors. One reporter’s ‘peaceful protest and righteous anger’ is another reporter’s ‘violent riot’.
Reading as widely as is possible about the incident, it seems that you have been very selective in portraying only information which suits your partisan attitude to pipelines.
Setting aside the right or wrongs of the cause, what’s important in judging the incident is an accurate record of the events.
1) The Protestor had the previous day filed for an injunction in court. All the parties had agreed to not take further action until the hearing date.
2) Dishonoring these commitments, nearly 1000 protestors invaded private land, tore down two substantial fences, and attacked the construction depot with horses and vehicles.
3) The Construction company is legally required to hired private security as explosives are stored at the construction depot.
4) The protestor refused to obey the directives of a Sheriff’s Deputy and threatened the Deputy with violence.
5) According to numerous witness statements, (many from protestors) the violence began when several hundred protestors became violent, stampeding into the depot horses, dogs and vehicles and attacked the site and the security guards.
6) The Sheriff of Morton County observed the situation “was more like a riot than a protest.” Although some videos show bloodied protesters, the sheriff says five private security officers were also hurt, three requiring hospitalisation.
7) The Company also has video evidence of it’s heavily outnumbered security officers defending themselves against violent, out of control protestors.
8)Several of the protestors have long histories of violent crime and had announced their intention of stealing firearms and explosives from the camp. (It was these fears that lead to many protestors volunteering statements to the Sheriff and FBI investigators).
Being a security officer, pipeline worker, or Sheriffs Deputy might not be the most popular of jobs, but does that mean “decent people” should endorse mob violence and assault as a method of resolving these disputes ?
Sometimes it pays to listen to both sides……
Marcopolo,
Thanks for presenting the other side. As you point out, it can be hard or impossible to get all the facts since quite often the media either are not objective or are careless.
So who’s land is this taking place on?
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/9/6/did_the_dakota_access_pipeline_company
Brian,
With all due respect to the folks at ‘Democrat Now’ this is hardly an unbiased or even accurate interview. Nor did the site attempt to interview independent or company sources to balance or verify the authenticity of the statements.
Even the protestors own testimony doesn’t support the contention that the protestors were trying to prevent bulldozing activity. Nor did any of these events occur on tribal land.
The protestors were not defending, but attacking. Protestors normally don’t come equipped with pit bull-cross dogs to a peaceful rally.
Marco,
Still my first question was not answered. That was a serious question because I have not been able to accurately determine if it crosses any tribal land or not.
Unbiased does not immediately mean false or untrue.
Many articles seem to indicate that the area where the confrontation took place is an area 20 miles from the current construction site on land where it is alleged that tribal burial grounds have been found and a restraining order has been placed against construction until a determination is made. Also, the Army Corps of engineers admits there are no easements approved yet for the land that this took place on. So it seems that the pipeline company drove bulldozers 20 miles forward of the current construction into an area without an approved easement for construction very early in the morning with security and dogs and helicopters expecting a confrontation so they could destroy evidence that might stop the entire pipeline dead in it’s tracks. Yeah they probably were attacked. I have not found anywhere a mention that the protesters brought any dogs, only the security personnel.
I have also found in several articles that this pipeline is slated to go through tribal land that borders north and south Dakota. I wish I could accurately verify that as fact. Best map I have found so far is in this article that shows the prior route going far north of Bismarck and the current route passing just the tiniest bit north of the reservation through Army Corps of Engineers property. I guess they thought it would be easier to go this route and only argue with the tribes rather than go with the original route which would endanger many farms and ranches such as my ex in-law’s which is actually on the Missouri river which they use for irrigation.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30082016/dakota-access-pipeline-standing-rock-sioux-army-corps-engineers-approval-environment
It appears that aside from cost one of the reasons the pipeline company moved to the southern route because they were concerned with polluting the water supply of Bismarck and decided it was more suitable to chance polluting the water supply of the reservation instead.
We have violated enough treaties we have made with these people and I don’t think we should violate any more.
Personally I don’t care if the pipeline leaks and pollutes water that the farmers in the area and downstream depend on. I know it sounds crass but as I stated previously, I have former family there and I know for a fact that they vote for this stuff so I don’t feel sorry for them when I hear they are getting screwed by it. And trust me they are constantly getting screwed by it one way or another and then complain heartily about being screwed by it while also complaining that the government trying to stop these companies from screwing them should leave business alone.
That is all I have time for tonight.
Hi Breath,
The terminology used by numerous media outlets sympathetic to the protestors has confused the issue. Most are simply repeats of each others versions.
The decision of the Federal Judge hearing the case has been overruled, not by a superior court, but by President Obama’s office.
The incident in which has been the subject of the news article is often misreported as being on government or reservation land. That’s not true it was on privately owned land, which is why the Sheriff of Morton County has jurisdiction.
The Sheriff has arrested, and laid charges against 37 people protestors at a construction site south of Mandan, N.D. He and his deputies have been called out numerous times to incidents of protestors harassing local residents across the county.
Several protestors admitted using trained attack dogs as weapons against “the fascist aggression of the company”.
The Sheriff also expressed his amusement that only two media outlets had been interested in reviewing the court testimony of protestors charged, and only one reporter of the scores present on that day, inquired after the progress of the injured guards.
When all the grandstanding by movie stars etc, is discounted what are the facts? Here’s a different point of view from the ‘Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now ‘organization.
[ 1.CLAIM: The pipeline encroaches on indigenous lands.
TRUTH: The Dakota Access Pipeline traverses a path on private property and does not cross into the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. 100% of landowners in North Dakota voluntarily signed easements to allow for construction of the pipeline on their property. Nearly the entire route of the 1,172 mile pipeline has been sited and approved by relevant state and federal agencies and more than 22% of the pipeline has already been completed. To the extent possible, the Dakota Access Pipeline was routed to parallel existing infrastructure, such as the Northern Border Pipeline, to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and areas of potential cultural significance.
2. CLAIM: The pipeline exposes the Tribe’s water supply to contamination.
TRUTH: Pipelines are – by far – the safest way to transport energy liquids and gases. Already, 8 pipelines cross the Missouri River carrying hundreds of thousands of barrels of energy products every day. That includes the Northern Border natural gas pipeline – built in 1982 – that parallels the planned crossing for Dakota Access for 40 miles as well as high voltage transmission power lines. Once completed, the Dakota Access Pipeline will be among the safest, most technologically advanced pipelines in the world.
In addition, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s water intake is scheduled to be moved by the end by of the year. The Missouri River intake serving the Tribe is being switched to Mobridge, South Dakota, nearly 50 miles south of the current water intake and about 70 miles south of the planned Dakota Access river crossing.
3. CLAIM: The tribal community was not part of the discussion.
TRUTH: 389 meetings took place between the U.S. Army Corps and 55 tribes about the Dakota Access project. In addition the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe met individually with the U.S. Army Corps nearly a dozen times to discuss archaeological and other surveys conducted to finalize the Dakota Access route.
Based on input from a number of sources, the pipeline route was adjusted in September 2014, to shorten the pipeline by 11 miles, avoid buildings and other structures, and cross fewer waterways and roads.
4. CLAIM: The pipeline is disrupting areas of cultural significance.
TRUTH: Safeguarding and ensuring the longevity of culturally significant artifacts and sites is of interest to all Americans. That’s why the Dakota Access Pipeline traverses a path on private property. And the Dakota Access Pipeline was routed to parallel existing infrastructure, such as the Northern Border Pipeline and high voltage transmission power lines. Therefore the Dakota Access route has already been under construction twice before. Designing the route to parallel existing infrastructure mitigates any additional impacts to the environment and avoids areas of potential cultural significance.
Additionally, on site there are professional archeologists who are able to identify and properly tend to artifacts and evidence of culturally significant sites if any not identified by the surveys are discovered.
5. CLAIM: On site protests have been peaceful.
TRUTH: Unfortunately, the emotionally charged atmosphere has led to several outbreaks of violence which has endangered the safety of the workers and the protesters themselves. Protesters have rushed police lines, threatened and assaulted private security officers, and thrown rocks and bottles at workers. And let’s remember, the work that is being done is in full accordance with all state and federal regulations and on private property – not on reservation land.
6. CLAIM: A young girl from the Tribe was mauled by a security dog.
TRUTH: This is a doctored photo. The original is from a June 2012 article from the New York Daily News, about heat tiled pet in Texas. ]
Like I first observed, there are always two sides to every issue.
For the citizens of the poor and depressed City of Morton which was hoping for a economic boost from being chosen as the hub for construction and future maintenance, the intervention of Californian residents such as Leonardo di Caprio must be very galling. But ( if true) the sudden influx of unruly protestors, many of a radical and violet persuasion, must be even more frightening.
Perhaps most disturbing is the White House interfering for political purpose in the process of the Judiciary. Imagine the screams of outrage if Donald Trump suggested using Presidential powers to circumvent court process ?