Violence over Dakota Access Pipeline is “Wholly Unacceptable”

“As winter settles on the Northern Plains, the standoff in North Dakota over the Dakota Access Pipeline grows more perilous. While the tribal, environmental and economic interests of this issue are complex, we urge all sides to exercise non-violence and respect for the rights of both private property and free speech.

“Governor Jack Dalrymple’s executive order directing protestors to leave federal lands immediately, the eviction notice from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the announcement by the Morton County Sheriff that people and supplies will be blocked from reaching the camp site are all ominous and worrisome developments. 

“While the Army Corps has clarified it has ‘no plans for forcible removal,’ threats to withhold emergency services to campers and blockade supplies to the settlement raise serious concerns about the safety of those protesting the Dakota  Access Pipeline. Law enforcement and private security personnel have used force against Native American protesters as recently as Thanksgiving week. This must stop. Images of protesters being sprayed with fire hoses in freezing temperatures have moved many Americans, regardless of their beliefs about the merits and demerits of the pipeline, to voice support for those braving the elements to exercise their First Amendment rights. 

“We remain hopeful that the continued litigation over the Dakota Access Pipeline will result in more comprehensive review of the cultural and environmental impacts of the project. And we reemphasize that violence in any form – either in support or opposition to this project – is wholly unacceptable.”

            - Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, Environmental Defense Fund