[News] Water Cannons Fired at Water Protectors in Freezing Temperatures Injure Hundreds

[Anti-Imperialist News]

http://sacredstonecamp.org/blog/2016/11/21/water-cannons-fired-at-water-protectors-in-freezing-temperatures-injure-hundreds 



  Water Cannons Fired at Water Protectors in Freezing Temperatures
  Injure Hundreds

November 21, 2016

The military vehicles blocking the bridge were burned in a blockade fire 
on October 27, after law enforcement raided and cleared the “1851 Treaty 
Camp,” an occupation of the pipeline corridor and reclamation of unceded 
territory.  Despite the obvious public safety risk, and despite promises 
from Morton County that they would clear the road, law enforcement has 
insisted on keeping the vehicles on the bridge for weeks.  This 
obstruction of Highway 1806 threatens the lives of the water protectors 
and residents of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, as emergency 
services have been needed but unable to reach camp quickly.  The 
blockage also unjustly restricts the free movement of local residents 
and hurts the Tribe economically by cutting off travel to and from the 
Prairie Knights Casino.  Images of the burned vehicles have fed 
negative, distorted, and sensationalist media portrayals of the encampment.

*Tara Houska, National Campaigns Director for Honor the Earth*, says, 
“For weeks, the main highway to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation has 
been cut off, with no movement by the state to address a public safety 
risk. Attempting to clear the road was met with police spraying people 
with water cannons in 26 degree weather -- that’s deadly force, it’s 
freezing outside. They want to kill people for clearing a road? When 
will our cries be heard? Stop the Dakota Access pipeline. Respect the 
rights of indigenous people, of all peoples.”

*LaDonna Allard, Director of the Sacred Stone Camp*, says, “All I can 
say is why? We are asking for clean water, we are asking for the right 
to live, we are asking for our children to live. Instead they attack us, 
because they protect oil. Morton county and DAPL security are inhuman- 
what is wrong with their hearts?”

*Dallas Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network*, says, “It is below 
freezing right now and the Morton County Sheriff’s Department is using a 
water cannon on our people, that is an excessive and potentially deadly 
use of force. Tribal EMS are stepping up and providing services that 
should be the responsibility of Morton County, this is ridiculous. 
Because of the police enforced road block, ambulances now have an extra 
30 minutes to get to the hospital. Those are life and death numbers 
right there, and Morton County and the State of North Dakota will be 
responsible for the tally.”

The *Standing Rock Medic and Healer Council *released this 
statement*:*“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.”

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