MoveOn.org & Native Organizers Alliance: Water cannons used against water protectors in freezing temperatures—action needed now #NoDAPL

Action alert from MoveOn.org & Native Organizers Alliance:

Dear MoveOn member,

Last night, the Morton County Sheriff Department again violated the human rights of those who are standing together in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Law enforcement agencies injured at least 150 peaceful water protectors by firing water cannons in freezing temperatures and by assaulting protectors with concussion grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets.¹

We must ensure that the human rights of everyone standing against the pipeline are protected.

Can you call the following agencies and demand that law enforcement stop violating the human rights of water protectors on Highway 1806 immediately?

North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple: 701-328-2200
Morton County Sheriff Department: 701-328-8118 and 701-667-3330
North Dakota National Guard: 701-333-2000

You can say, "I stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all water protectors opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline. There is no room in a democracy to use water cannons, tear gas, or rubber bullets against peaceful, unarmed water protectors."

Please, let us know how your call went so we know how many calls we've made together.

We have just weeks until the company overseeing the North Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, plans to defy federal orders and begin drilling under the river.² The White House must order the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the easement and stop this destruction, and the presence of the water protectors is more important than ever.

It is a difficult time for all of us, but people power, principled alliances, and prayer have brought us this far, and they can lead to protecting the river as we go into the next stages of threats to Mother Earth.

Please, call the following agencies now:

North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple: 701-328-2200
Morton County Sheriff Department: 701-328-8118 and 701-667-3330
North Dakota National Guard: 701-333-2000

You can say, "I stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all water protectors opposed to the Dakota Access Pipeline. There is no room in a democracy to use water cannons, tear gas, or rubber bullets against peaceful, unarmed water protectors."

Please, report your call and let us know what happened.

My heart is full from all the support from MoveOn members like you, groups across the country, and others all over the world. Thank you for standing in solidarity.

Together, we will stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

With gratitude,
Judith LeBlanc, Native Organizers Alliance

Sources:

1. "Dakota Pipeline: Protesters Soaked With Water in Freezing Temperatures," NBC News, November 21, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/6815?t=4&akid=173478.8526217.FeqT9y

2. "Dakota pipeline operator to defy Obama and prepare for final phase of drilling," The Guardian, November 8, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/6816?t=6&akid=173478.8526217.FeqT9y

Standing Rock: 100+ Injured After Police Attack with Water Cannons, Rubber Bullets & Mace

As reported by Democracy Now!:

In North Dakota, more than 100 Native Americans and allies fighting the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline have been injured by police, who attacked them with rubber bullets, tear gas, mace canisters and water cannons in freezing temperatures Sunday night. The attack was on a bridge near the main Oceti Sakowin resistance camp. It began after the water protectors attempted to clear access to the public bridge, which has been blocked by authorities using military equipment chained to concrete barriers. Medics on scene say multiple people were shot by rubber bullets.

Leland Brenholt: "My name is Leland Brenholt. I’m a medic here at Oceti Sakowin. And we have seen at least four gunshot wounds, three of them I know of to the face and head. Rubber bullets. Right now we’re trying to keep people warm. We’re trying to get them decontaminated, and treating all kinds of different wounds. People have been hit with canisters in the chest or the leg and that sort of thing."

Water protectors say the police also fired rubber bullets at journalists, shot down drones being used to document the attack and fired flares which ignited grass fires. Legal observers with the National Lawyers Guild said multiple people temporarily lost consciousness after being shot. Witnesses say one elder also went into cardiac arrest and was revived on scene by medics. Both the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe sent medical first responders. This is Angela Bibens, a lawyer with the Red Owl Legal Collective, speaking in a telephone interview recorded by Dallas Goldtooth Sunday.

Angela Bibens: "Right now we’ve seen people who have been maced. They deployed 20 mace canisters in a small area in less than five minutes, to the point where people have lost bowel function. At least one seizure has been witnessed at the front lines by our legal observation team. There have been people vomiting from the exposure to the mace. The water cannon has been mixed with the mace, and so even our legal observers have been exposed and are trying to deal with that while they’re doing up their notes. And canisters were shot at the medic area at the front line. There is at least one woman who has a broken kneecap. At least one elder went into cardiac arrest and was revived through CPR at the front line by medics."

Jeremy Scahill: TigerSwan Security, Linked to Blackwater, Now Coordinates Intel for Dakota Access

As reported by Democracy Now!

Camp of the Sacred Stones: Water Cannons Fired at Water Protectors in Freezing Temperatures Injure Hundreds

As posted at http://sacredstonecamp.org/:

Water Cannons Fired at Water Protectors in Freezing Temperatures Injure Hundreds

Today's Midwest Energy News headlines/links re: DAPL resistance

PIPELINES:
• Tensions rise again as Dakota Access pipeline protesters try to push past a blocked off bridge and police respond with water cannons* and what appeared to be tear gas. (Associated Press)
• The public defender system in North Dakota is challenged in the wake of nearly 150 pipeline protesters being arrested and charged in October. (Rapid City Journal)
• The Dakota Access pipeline developer will not consider re-routing a contentious section of the project. (Reuters)
• Great Lakes tribes are rallying around the Dakota Access pipeline protests to fight against twin pipelines operating in the Straits of Mackinac. (Environmental Health News)

[* Regarding the use of water cannons, the following release went out:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The physicians and tribal healers with the Standing Rock Medic and Healer Council call for the immediate cessation of use of water cannons on people who are outdoors in 28F ambient weather with no means of
active rewarming in these conditions. As medical professionals, we are concerned for the real risk of loss of life due to severe hypothermia under these conditions. We call on the Morton County Sheriff's office to
immediately stop the potentially lethal use of these confrontational methods against people peacefully assembled. We request media support, medical support and observers to the area immediately.
Dr Linda Black Elk, Standing Rock Tribal Healer
Dr Jesse Lopez, Trauma Surgeon
Dr Rupa Marya, Internal Medicine, UCSF
Dr Kalama O Ka Aina
Dr Howard Ehrman, University of Illinois]