Standing Rock: Youth Water Protectors Light New All Nations Fire

As reported by Democracy Now! news headlines:

At Standing Rock in North Dakota, Native American elders fighting the Dakota Access pipeline have extinguished the Seven Council Fires, which has been burning for months at the main resistance camp, and young Native water protectors have relit a new fire, the All Nations Fire, as part of the continued resistance to the $3.8 billion pipeline. This is Standing Rock Sioux Tribe member Chase Iron Eyes.

Chase Iron Eyes: "There is probably a thousand people still here who are committed to staying until the pipeline is dead. They’re committed to staying to protect our treaty rights and to create a new existence for our people. They’re committed even to protecting American constitutional, civil and human rights. And so we approached the elders, and they told us how to conduct ourselves and to build a new fire. It’s all young people who came out."

The water protectors are fighting the pipeline over concerns a leak could contaminate the Missouri River, which serves as a drinking source for millions. On Monday, North Dakota officials confirmed that another pipeline leak earlier this month has spilled more than 176,000 gallons of crude oil into the Ash Coulee Creek about 150 miles west of Standing Rock.

Standing Rock: Masked Men Threaten Water Protectors: "North Dakota People Are Going to F*** You Up"

As reported by Democracy Now! news headlines:

In North Dakota, police have arrested a man who was caught on camera Monday threatening water protectors fighting the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. Thirty-three-year-old Jesse McLain of Bismarck is facing two counts of "terrorizing," after he and another man, both with their faces covered, surrounded a water protectors’ car at the Ramada Inn and began threatening them while preventing the car from leaving. This is a clip of the video shot by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe member Dean Dedman Jr., also known as Shiye Bidziil, which has been viewed more than a million times.

Jesse McLain: "Take your protest [bleep] back home."

Shiye Bidziil: "Let’s just go. Let’s go."

Jesse McLain: "Yeah, go ahead. Turn your phone on."

Shiye Bidziil: "Go. Let’s go."

Jesse McLain: "Go ahead. Turn it on."

Shiye Bidziil: "Go. Turn around."

Jesse McLain: "All you [bleep] protesters, go home!"

Shiye Bidziil: "Go. I said go."

Jesse McLain: "Us North Dakota people are going to [bleep] you up!"

Shiye Bidziil: "Go."

Jesse McLain: "Every [bleep] one of you!"

Shiye Bidziil: "Matt, just go."

Water Protector: "I can’t; they’ve blocked us in."

Jesse McLain: "Every [bleep] one of you!"

Water Protector: "Hey, guys, seriously, we’ll get out of here."

Jesse McLain: "We know who you are."

Water Protector: "We’re going to go."

That’s a Bismarck resident threatening Shiye Bidziil and another water protector. Meanwhile, Bidziil and two other indigenous media makers, including Myron Dewey of the outlet Digital Smoke Signals, were attacked last night by snow-mobilers and a truck, which tried to run their car off the road. Video they shot from the car shows the three men driving down a long icy stretch of road, when the snow mobilers appear to swerve in front of their car and then yell a string of expletives at them. Water protectors say these two incidents are part of an escalating wave of threats and harassment by white North Dakota residents against the Native water protectors fighting the pipeline.

A Victory at Standing Rock, For Now

An op-ed by Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan of Democracy Now!

NYC: Dozens Protest Outside Wells Fargo Pipeline Symposium

As reported by Democracy Now! news headlines:

In New York City, close to 100 people protested outside Wells Fargo’s 15th annual pipeline symposium to demand Wells Fargo and other banks stop investing in the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. This is Rachel Marco-Havens of Earth Guardians.

Rachel Marco-Havens: "We’re standing here today in front of the Waldorf Astoria, traditionally has held the 1 percent for as long as it’s been standing. Inside, there are pipeline investors, and I just met one. And I met three, and they all say they don’t care about what happens to the people along the lines of the extractive industry. We are here because water is life. We are here because we must stand in solidarity across Turtle Island to take care of each other and to stop this fossil fuel infrastructure and to recognize that we can transition to renewable now. We must defund these corporations."

On Sunday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the pipeline, a permit to drill under the Missouri River, halting construction for now. This is Rocio Velandia at the New York City protest reacting to the news.

Rocio Velandia: "They had announced that they were going to stop, but we saw it just like a war tactic to disperse and confuse. But we are the indigenous peoples of Mother Earth, and we are used to the injustices against our people. We know how to survive. We have been here for thousands of years, and we will remain. And whatever happens to the indigenous people is actually happening to everyone on Earth. We have to understand that when the water is gone, we will all be gone."

Standing Rock: Protectors Demand Police End Roadblock Amid Blizzard Evacuations

As reported on Democracy Now! news headlines:

A second massive winter blizzard has hit the resistance camps at Standing Rock in North Dakota last night, forcing water protectors to seek shelter in nearby community centers and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe casino. The Standing Rock Medic & Healer Council said it has treated two people for hypothermia, and condemned the state of North Dakota for maintaining a police roadblock on Highway 1806—the main road leading in and out of the camps—that has been delaying the evacuation of patients amid the blizzard. Thousands of water protectors remain at Standing Rock, concerned that the company behind the pipeline has vowed to drill on despite being denied the permit by the Army. On Monday, Energy Transfer Partners filed a lawsuit in federal court asking a judge to grant the necessary permit, claiming the Army has bowed to political pressure. In the filing, Energy Transfer Partners says the delays to the project have cost $450 million so far.