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href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Police-Forcefully-Arrest-Standing-Rock-Water-Protectors-20170222-0002.html">http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Police-Forcefully-Arrest-Standing-Rock-Water-Protectors-20170222-0002.html</a></font>
<h1 id="reader-title">Police Forcefully Arrest Standing Rock
Water Protectors</h1>
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<p>February 22, 2017<br>
</p>
<p>Police surrounded the Oceti Sakowin Camp at Standing
Rock on Wednesday, arresting the first of the remaining
water protectors as the latter called for solidarity and
vowed to continue resistance against the US$3 billion <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/What-You-May-Not-Know-About-the-Dakota-Access-Pipeline-20160911-0015.html">Dakota
Access Pipeline</a> re-approved by President Donald
Trump.</p>
<p>The standoff is being filmed live from the camp.</p>
<figure class="op-social">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">MoveOn: RT demopinions: Watch
on <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Periscope?src=hash">#Periscope</a>:
Oceti Sakowin Camp eviction day. <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/standingrock?src=hash">#standingrock</a>
<a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/waterislife?src=hash">#waterislife</a>
<a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoDAPL?src=hash">#NoDAPL</a>
<a href="https://t.co/290KOFKtsm">https://t.co/290KOFKtsm</a></p>
— Elise Mysels (@02Cents0) <a
href="https://twitter.com/02Cents0/status/834538936823382017">February
22, 2017</a></blockquote>
</figure>
<p>In a parting gesture, the water protectors gathered to
sing a victory song. "We want to walk out with dignity.
We understand that this is not a defeat but a victory,"
an unseen water protector says during a live recording.</p>
<p>"Everyone here is in violation of the governor's orders
... You will be arrested," a police officer is heard
saying to the crowd, as the water protesters yell, "We
are not going to leave."</p>
<p>On Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers refused to
extend Wednesday's eviction deadline set by North Dakota
Governor Doug Burgum last week, citing concerns about
flooding.</p>
<p>However most involved in the water protection camp —
which, since its founding last April, has <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Indigenous-West-Papua-Sends-Solidarity-to-Standing-Rock-20161201-0020.html">galvanized
millions</a> in the fight for Indigenous sovereignty
and the <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Will-Canadas-Oil-Pipelines-Spur-Standing-Rock-Resistance-2.0-20161106-0005.html">battle
against pipelines</a> — say the move is simply a ruse
to end the movement.</p>
<p>"This is a message of intimidation," one water
protector told The Intercept.</p>
<figure class="op-social">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We are surrounded by federal
& state law enforcement. Our spirits remain
high. Indigenous peoples have not and will never be
broken. <a
href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoDAPL?src=hash">#NoDAPL</a>
<a href="https://t.co/Nfpcrvwwkw">pic.twitter.com/Nfpcrvwwkw</a></p>
— tara houska (@zhaabowekwe) <a
href="https://twitter.com/zhaabowekwe/status/834150834933899264">February
21, 2017</a></blockquote>
</figure>
<p>Water protectors had requested an extension of the
eviction order to allow for a clean up of the camp, also
noting that a vital <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Standing-Rock-Seeks-Environmental-Impact-Statement-From-Govt-20170108-0001.html">environmental
impact study</a> has yet to be completed on the
project which violates the Treaty rights of the Standing
Rock Sioux Nation and threatens the drinking water of
millions of people.</p>
<p>In a viral video released on Twitter on Monday, women
water protectors expressed their continued defiance to
the project as well as concern about arrests and <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Police-Unleash-Military-Style-Assault-at-Standing-Rock--20161121-0003.html">police
brutality</a> during the planned eviction.</p>
<p>"After the deadline we are all at risk of facing
arrest, police brutality, federal charges and prison
time," says one of the unnamed women in the video</p>
<p>"In the history of colonization, they've always given
us two options," says another. "Give up our land or go
to jail, give up our rights or go to jail. And now, give
up our water, or go to jail. We are not criminals."</p>
<p>"They've been trying to take us down for hundreds of
years," another woman says. "They can keep trying, and
we're still going to be here, and we need help. There
aren't many of us left."
</p>
<p>"They don't understand people are willing to die here,"
one 90-year-old woman told The Intercept. "They don't
understand we will not back down. We have our ancestors
with us and we are in prayer that Tunkashila (Great
Spirit in Lakota) will guide us in our freedom."</p>
<p>The neighboring <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/DAPL-Protestors-Start-to-Move-Camp-Amid-Safety-Concerns--20170113-0007.html">Sacred
Stone Camp</a>, which is on land owned by Stand Rock
Sioux Tribe member LaDonna Allard, was also issued an
eviction notice last week by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs which claims jurisdiction on the land, despite
the fact that the camp had been endorsed in a vote by
the Standing Rock Sioux council back in June.</p>
<p>Despite the expected eviction, those remaining at the
camp and their allies were defiant that the fight
against the pipeline isn't over.</p>
<p>The Indigenous Environmental Network issued a statement
on their Facebook page calling on people to join a
massive March 5 action planned for Washington, D.C., in
protest of the pipeline project.</p>
<p>"The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Indigenous
grassroots leaders call on our allies across the U.S.
and around the world to peacefully March on Washington,
D.C.," the statement said. "This movement has evolved
into a powerful global phenomenon highlighting the
necessity to respect Indigenous nations and their right
to protect their homeland, environment, and future
generations. For those who cannot march with us, we ask
that you take peaceful action at home in your tribal
nations, states, cities, town, villages, and provinces,"
it concluded.</p>
<p>"The whole movement isn't over," said a water protector
in an IEN video.</p>
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