Standing Rock: Justice Dept. Will Not Send Federal Officers to Aid in Police Crackdown

As reported in Democracy Now!'s news headlines:

In news on Standing Rock, the Justice Department says it will not comply with North Dakota’s request to send 100 federal officers to aid in the ongoing police crackdown against Native American water protectors fighting the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. The Justice Department has said, however, that it has given training and technical assistance to local law enforcement officers, who have been sued for excessive use of force, including firing rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons in freezing temperatures at the protectors, injuring hundreds of people.

Water Protector Who Disarmed Dakota Access "Infiltrator" Put on Morton County Most Wanted List

As reported on Democracy Now! news headlines:

At Standing Rock in North Dakota, water protectors fighting the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline are calling on Morton County to drop an arrest warrant issued for Brennon Nastacio, the Pueblo water protector who disarmed a Dakota Access security contractor attempting to infiltrate the resistance camps on October 27. A video shows Nastacio convincing pipeline security contractor Kyle Thompson to stop pointing his AR-15 rifle at the Native Americans and then hand over his 30-round clip. Thompson was later arrested by Bureau of Indian Affairs police. But Morton County went on to release Thompson without charges and instead issued an arrest warrant for water protector Nastacio on charges of "felony terrorizing." Nastacio has also been placed on Morton County’s most wanted list. This is Pueblo water protector Brennon Nastacio.

Brennon Nastacio: "To be on Morton County’s most wanted list sends me a message that Morton County doesn’t care about the people at camp. They would have rather let Kyle Thompson come in and shoot everybody at camp than for me to disarm him. I hope that ain’t the case, Morton County. And I hope they realize that I saved lives that day, and drop this arrest warrant that they have out for me. You know, I approached Kyle Thompson to disarm him because I was concerned about the safety of the camp."

Rick Perry, Trump's Energy Secretary Pick, is Close Ally to Oil Industry & Dakota Access Pipeline

As reported by Democracy Now!

Update on December 13, 2016 by admin

See U.S. Sen. Ed Markey's (D-MA) statement re: President-elect Trump's nomination of former Texas governor Rick Perry as Energy Secretary.

Standing Rock: North Dakota Court Convenes Federal Grand Jury

As reported by Democracy Now! news headlines:

Meanwhile, in more news from Standing Rock, the Water Protector Legal Collective reports a North Dakota court has convened a federal grand jury and issued at least one subpoena against a water protector at Sacred Stone Camp. Angela Bibbens of the collective says it appears the grand jury is focused on the injuries of Sophia Wilansky, whose left arm was critically hurt during a November police attack in which she was reportedly hit by a concussion grenade—an account which the police deny. This is Angela Bibbens.

Angela Bibbens: "In response to the convening of a federal grand jury, the Water Protector Legal Collective has put together a committee of experienced attorneys who can represent water protectors who have been served with a subpoena. If you are a water protector out there who has been served, please contact our hotline at (605) 519-8180."

Seattle Council to Consider Breaking Ties with Wells Fargo over Dakota Access

As reported by Democracy Now! news headlines:

The Seattle City Council has voted unanimously to advance to discussion a piece of legislation that would see the city break ties with Wells Fargo over its financing of the Dakota Access pipeline. Wells Fargo currently manages $3 billion worth of depository services for Seattle. The legislation was proposed by Socialist City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, who spoke about the water protectors at Standing Rock during a City Council meeting Monday.

Councilmember Kshama Sawant: "They have withstood blizzards, police repression and attacks from private militarized security forces. They have been bitten by attack dogs, pepper-sprayed, subjected to mass arrests, including for praying. But they have courageously stood strong and shown that when we build organized movements willing to fight, we can win. Elected officials nationwide owe it to the activists to stand with them. One clear way this City Council can do that is by divesting the city of Seattle from Wells Fargo, which also happens to be one of the principal financial backers of the Dakota Access pipeline."

That was Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. The Minneapolis City Council is also currently studying ways to break financial ties with Wells Fargo and other banks financing the Dakota Access pipeline and other energy projects. Minneapolis activists locked shut the doors of a new Wells Fargo branch, which was slated to open Monday, demanding the bank divest from the Dakota Access pipeline.