U.S. Veterans to Form a Human Shield at Dakota Pipeline Protest

U.S. Veterans to Form a Human Shield at Dakota Pipeline Protest

The Dakota Access pipeline has been a hot issue for months and has garnered the attention of several notable politicians, activists, and celebrities. Not many have given the issue the right degree of coverage, except for independent journalists. The situation has gotten so dire that it has stirred the hearts of thousands of U.S. veterans, who are planning to visit the Dakota Access pipeline protests to form a human wall to protect the protesters.

The pipeline is set to go through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, which is protected by a Native American treaty with the United States. In essence, the land belongs to Native Americans, which makes this entire problem unfounded. Still, the company that owns the pipeline is adamant about making sure that the pipeline goes through their land, which is what the Native Americans are protesting. The land is near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, and many people have joined the original Americans to defend the land. The protesters are called water protectors by many of those involved.

It makes sense that the company is not backing down on its plans to put the pipeline under the lake near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. The pipeline represents a $3.8 billion investment that will be rendered moot should it be stopped. The people protesting are equally as determined, as this pipeline poses a threat to the river since most pipelines have burst several times in the past. The pipeline also threatens many sacred Native American regions that the protesters are also attempting to protect.

The water protectors have been working with environmentalists and independent journalists to make sure that others are aware of what is happening at Standing Rock. Senator Bernie Sanders is one of the people talking about the situation, trying to raise awareness. Another person is Shailene Woodley, a popular American actress, who has been protesting the pipeline alongside the water protectors.

There have been several questionable incidents at the camp that may have fueled the thousands of U.S. veterans who are planning to visit the site. The protesters have been blasted with freezing water cannons when the weather was 20 to 30 degrees. Many of the people who were hit suffered from hypothermia, among other complications. The police said the water cannons were used to disperse the crowd and put out fires. Independent journalists reported that there were no fires before the police shot water cannons at the water protectors nor was there violence.

Journalists also reported several incidents of protesters being attacked with rubber bullets and attack dogs, even though protesters did not provoke these attacks. The incidents have hurt some of the protesters. Perhaps, these types of incidents encouraged veterans to join the protesters and form this human wall. It has been reported that over 2,000 U.S. veterans are going to make the trip to Standing Rock to protect the people as they attempt to protect the water.

One of Bernie Sanders most avid supporters, Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii and a major in the Hawaiian Nation Guard has stated that she will be joining the veterans and standing up against any attack upon their right to protest the Dakota Access pipeline.

The Army Corps ordered the evacuation of the protesters by Dec. 5. The reason cited deals with the dangerous weather conditions, but the protesters have lived in this region all of their lives. Most of them have already prepared to survive through the winter if necessary. Hopefully, this situation is settled in a peaceful way that involves no more regrettable incidents.

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