Land Defenders Storm Construction Site to Protect Water

From Unicorn Riot

As today’s protest grew, construction was halted after a group of tribal women led tribal protesters and allies onto the Dakota Access Pipeline site.

Since the protests began on Wednesday, each morning has begun with a ceremony and prayer at the gates to the Dakota Access Pipeline Construction site. On Monday, five arrests were made after North Dakota State Troopers gave dispersal orders and protesters stood their ground.

Police guard over #DakotaAccessPipeline construction as they lay concrete barriers near front of protest #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/IfGBmIoJwi

— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) August 15, 2016

After making arrests, police formed a line as construction crews erected two rows of concrete barriers. As construction continued, the number of protesters quickly grew near the concrete barriers. Protesters prayed at the newly erected barricades as the daily surveillance plane circled above. In the afternoon, construction crews moved more heavy machinery onto the land.

Eventually, a group of indigenous women stormed the DAPL construction site and halted work, placing their bodies around the machinery. Unicorn Riot was told by one tribal protester that they needed to “defend water for the future generations.”

Tribal women storm #DakotaAccessPipeline, lead others past security perimeter, shut down construction site #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/MvVudkQwdH

— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) August 15, 2016

As various tribes & allies respond to calls of solidarity and continue to arrive, the protest shows no sign of slowing. The Dakota Access Pipeline LLC has threatened to sue any protesters who obstruct work. They’ve begun by targeting Dave Archambault, tribal chair of the Standing Rock Nation. In recent news, the Enbridge LLC, responsible for the Kalamazoo River oil spill has bought a minority stake in the DAPL.

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