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href="http://sacredstonecamp.org/blog/2016/11/21/water-cannons-fired-at-water-protectors-in-freezing-temperatures-injure-hundreds">http://sacredstonecamp.org/blog/2016/11/21/water-cannons-fired-at-water-protectors-in-freezing-temperatures-injure-hundreds</a></font>
<h1 id="reader-title">Water Cannons Fired at Water Protectors in
Freezing Temperatures Injure Hundreds</h1>
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<p><span>November 21, 2016<br>
</span></p>
<p><span>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.</span></p>
<p><strong>Tara Houska, National Campaigns Director for
Honor the Earth</strong><span>, 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.” </span></p>
<p><strong>LaDonna Allard, Director of the Sacred Stone
Camp</strong><span>, 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?”</span></p>
<p><strong>Dallas Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental
Network</strong><span>, 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.”</span></p>
<p><span>The </span><strong>Standing Rock Medic and
Healer Council </strong><span>released this statement</span><strong>:</strong><span>
“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.”</span></p>
<p><span>####</span></p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.freedomarchives.org">www.freedomarchives.org</a>
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