Update: The Army Corps of Engineers announced Sunday that they wouldn’t grant the final easement to the Dakota Access Pipeline, blocking the pipeline from being completed. But this victory could be overturned by the Trump administration.
On Monday, a prayer camp at Standing Rock — standing against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) — faces eviction ordered by the Army Corps of Engineers. Given recent law enforcement tactics there, we’re deeply concerned that violent, aggressive policing to enforce the eviction could cause serious injury or death.
Call now to protect water protectors from militarized policing.
Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers issued an eviction notice to the camp, citing danger from the impending winter weather. But the dangers are human caused, as law enforcement officials are engaging in militarized tactics such as drenching people with water cannons in sub-freezing temperatures and shooting “less-lethal” rubber bullets. As “eviction day” nears, there’s great potential for greater violence and the loss of life.
The U.S. government must reverse the tragic historical cycle of violence against Native Americans. We ask that you call upon the administration to protect the rights of Native Americans instead of forcibly removing them from their sacred and ancestral lands, and to reject the Dakota Access Pipeline.
But right now, the threat of violence against the water protectors is only increasing. So we ask that you call today to hold law enforcement accountable for militarized policing by:
- Sending observers
- Negotiating with Governor Darlrymple and the tribal leaders to reduce tensions
- Ensuring that the civil and human rights of all people are upheld
