Protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota have shown signs of escalation. The New York Times reported that police forces attempted to move protesters out of an area in which they set up camp, and were warded off for several hours by a line of burning wood and vehicles. The New York Times also reported that a woman allegedly fired two rounds of a handgun at the authorities, though no one was hit.
The protesters were gathered on a section of land owned by Energy Transfer Partners, the private company responsible for the pipeline construction. Morton County Sheriff, Kyle Kirchmeier, said protesters “forced our hand,” referring to his officers’ use of beanbag bullets, tear gas, and military vehicles against protesters.
Amnesty International sent individuals to observe police actions, according to the New York Times. Protesters see the pipeline as a significant cultural and environmental threat, the New York Times also reported. TIME stated that even a small oil leakage, if it were to occur near the Missouri River, could be detrimental for anyone living along the waterway, even as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe is suing the Army Corps of Engineers, on the grounds that the agency allegedly violated the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NHPA requires Corps to consider the cultural significance of federally-permitted sites and NEPA requires it to take the preservation of waterways into account, according to TIME. Aside from the environmental concerns, tribal leaders also say that sacred lands, including burial grounds, would be desecrated by the pipeline’s construction, the New York Times reported.
“We have repeatedly seen a disproportionate response from law enforcement to water protectors’ nonviolent exercise of their constitutional rights,” Dave Archambault II, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe told the New York Times. “We need our state and federal governments to bring justice and peace to our lands, not the force of armored vehicles,” he said.
A WhiteHouse.gov petition calling on President Obama to halt construction reached 312,476 signatures on September 14. Obama ordered construction to temporarily cease, but a federal court overturned this order. Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, has not taken a firm stance on the matter, though TIME reported she urged both Energy Transfer Partners and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to “find a path forward that serves the broadest public interest.” Republican candidate, Donald Trump, reportedly owns stock in Energy Transfer Partners, and while he has said the oil and gas industry should not be regulated, he has not commented specifically on the pipeline protests.
On social media, celebrities such as Mark Ruffalo and Al Gore have expressed their support for protesters at Standing Rock. Over 100,000 people used the Facebook “Check-In” feature to locate themselves at Standing Rock, according to TIME. This mass “Check-In” followed a rumor that local police forces were using the feature to track protesters on the ground, and individuals not at Standing Rock were encouraged to check in to the protest sight to overwhelm the police. However, the Morton County Police Department stated on Twitter that this rumor was false, and the department does not follow Facebook check-ins at the protest sight nor any other locations.