6 Arrested in Iowa #NoDAPL Action, Including Unicorn Riot Journalist
Sandusky, IA – Six people, including a Unicorn Riot journalist, were arrested during a direct action that halted construction crews for hours from boring underneath the Mississippi River to lay the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Mississippi Stand – Lee County, IA October 7th, 2016 from Unicorn Riot on Vimeo.
During some of the first arrests, a private security officer from On Point Security Group LLC was seen stomping on the back of a water protector who had already been handcuffed and was face down on the ground at the time. We have reached out to On Point Security for comment on their employee’s actions and have yet to hear back from them.
While making arrests, On Point Security (employed by Dakota Access) stomped on a prone water protector who was face down in the mud. #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/QgwRyRXXTw
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) October 7, 2016
Unicorn Riot was live to document the lockdowns from atop a nearby tree, with the understanding that the tree was on privately owned land, and that the landowner was allowing people to be present to observe DAPL construction.
#Breaking: water protectors halt Dakota Access Pipeline construction in Lee County, Iowa, lock down to equipment. #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/WwKrV8JWrO
— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) October 7, 2016
Recently, construction crews set up fencing and employed extra security at the site where the Dakota Access Pipeline is set to be placed underneath the Mississippi River.
Barbed wire fence and private security from On Point Security, @PerMarSec guard Dakota Access drill site in Sandusky, Iowa. #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/MQVvKDjIQH
— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) October 6, 2016
With a proposed pipeline finish date of October 31st, Mississippi Stand, a “group of concerned citizens who are working to keep oil out of the Mississippi River”, chose October 7th as yet another day on which they would take action to halt construction.
Unicorn Riot recorded video of the water protectors entering the construction site to lock themselves down onto the equipment:
Video: this morning water protectors entered a DAPL drill site by Mississippi River near Sandusky, Iowa & locked down to equipment. #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/HvKG2YxMG7
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) October 7, 2016
Within an hour of the start of the action, one of those locked down to equipment was removed and arrested.
One person who locked to equipment arrested after pole they locked to was removed. One lockdown still holds. #NoDAPL #MississippiStand pic.twitter.com/8LHluvBogl
— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) October 7, 2016
The other person attached to the horizontal drill bore was still locked down at the time our journalist Lorenzo was forced to end the livestream.
Police were using pain compliance on the last locked-down individual, when our journalist Lorenzo was approached by local law enforcement, told to exit the tree, and arrested upon descent.
Lorenzo is being charged with trespassing and has yet to be released from jail and expected to appear in court Saturday morning. We have reached out to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for comment about their arrest of our reporter and they have not yet responded. This is the third arrest of a Unicorn Riot journalist within the last month of our coverage of events surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The two people who locked down to the equipment were charged with criminal mischief, interference, and trespassing. The other four of the six arrests are being charged with trespassing. These individuals are also expected to appear in court on Saturday morning.
Full livestream of the action here
Continue to follow our media on Twitter, Facebook, and our website for more updates surrounding the ongoing struggles to protect the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
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To see Unicorn Riot’s coverage of the anti-Dakota Access Pipeline struggle, see below.
August 2016
- After covering the camp in the spring of 2016, Unicorn Riot returned to Standing Rock Reservation on Wednesday, August 10th, when Standing Rock tribal members and allies blocked the entrance to the Dakota Access Pipeline construction site.
- On Thursday, August 11th, a dozen or so people were arrested blocking the construction site entrances.
- Day 3, Friday, the fight to protect land & water intensified around the construction sites of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
- On the 4th day, the pipeline resistance encampment swelled and prepared for more action.
- Monday, August 15th, land defenders stormed the construction site halting construction, and the next day construction was halted as well.
- August 17th saw State Police begin checkpoints, roadblocks, and psyops as protesters united to defend water.
- August 24th, camps prepared as Federal injunction hearing looms.
- Camps Organize to Stay as Injunction Postponed.
- On August 31st, Non-Violent Direct Action Stopped DAPL Construction for Over 6 Hours.
September 2016
- September 6, indigenous water protectors swarmed Dakota Access Pipeline site, stopped work
- September 7, Uŋpa Nuŋpa was interviewed about ongoing #noDAPL actions
- North Dakota highway patrol refused to release email correspondence with Energy Transfer Partners
- September 8, ND National Guard took over Dakota Access Pipeline checkpoints
- Friday, September 9, US Govt. overruled federal judge and requested pipeline construction halted at Lake Oahe
- Meanwhile, cultural activities continued at #NoDAPL camps despite more arrests/warrants
- September 13, 20 were arrested during #NoDAPL lockdown, including 2 Unicorn Riot journalists
- September 14, direct actions continued against Dakota Access Pipeline while legal repression intensified
- On September 16 a federal judge dissolved the unconstitutional temporary restraining order Dakota Access, LLC had filed against Stranding Rock tribal members
- September 19, as solidarity protests spread nationwide, the federal appeals court ordered construction temporarily stop on Dakota Access segment as Solidarity Protests Spread Nationwide
- September 21, #NoDAPL noise demo demanded freedom for jailed water protector Olowan Martinez
- September 22, water protectors disrupted the annual meeting of the North Dakota Petroleum Council
- September 25, water protectors planted trees on DAPL construction site
- In Iowa on September 26, a non-violent direct action from the Mississippi Stand camp stopped DAPL construction for the day
- September 26, a caravan of water protectors stopped work at DAPL site
- September 27, militarized police arrested 23 water protectors in DAPL work stoppage
- September 29, a #NoDAPL solidarity action took place at MN Enbridge office
October 2016
- October 3-4 saw the “Toxic Tour,” Governor debate disruption, and water protectors attend their court arraignment
- October 4, we learned North Dakota Governor Dalrymple’s email inbox was full of support for #NoDAPL
- Buffer Zone Holds as Caravans Continue to Disrupt DAPL – New Felony Charges — October 5
For our coverage earlier this spring of the Sacred Stone Camp, see May 27th report, “Dakota Access Pipeline Blockade Enters 2nd Month“; May 5th, “Sacred Stone Camp Resists Dakota Access Pipeline“; April 3rd, “Tribal Citizens Build Camp in Path of Oil Pipeline“; March 29th, “Tribal Citizens Prepare to Blockade Bakken Oil Pipeline“.
