Politico: SERIOUS INJURIES AT DAKOTA ACCESS PROTESTS

As reported by POLITICO's Morning Energy:

SERIOUS INJURIES AT DAKOTA ACCESS PROTESTS: Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, called on President Barack Obama to condemn the actions of North Dakota police on Monday after a violent night in which tribal health authorities said 300 protesters sustained injuries. Video shows demonstrators being sprayed by fire hoses in below-freezing temperatures and rubber bullets being fired at them. "We are deeply saddened that despite the millions of Americans and allies around the world who are standing with us at Standing Rock, a single corporate bully - backed by U.S. government taxpayer dollars through a militarized law enforcement - continue to be sanctioned by aggressive, unlawful acts," Archambault said in a statement. "President Obama, this cannot be your legacy."

Former Vice President Al Gore called the police actions "inhumane" in a Monday tweet, while Sen. Bernie Sanders asked the president "in any and every way that you can, stop the Dakota Access Pipeline and keep the water protectors safe." Medics treating injured protesters said there were 26 serious injuries requiring hospitalization, including an "elder who lost consciousness and was revived on scene."

Sheriff defends tactics: During a Monday press conference, Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said police officers were responding to protesters acting "very aggressively," throwing rocks at authorities and setting fires in the area. "In this circumstance, it was the best option that we had at that point," Kirchmeier said of the decision to spray protesters with water. "When it was no longer necessary, it was no longer used." He admitted it was unusual to deploy fire hoses on demonstrators.

[EcoWatch has also reported on this story.]