Boone, IA – On Thursday, November 10th, 2016, three water protectors from Iowa’s “Mississippi Stand” occupied the inside of the Dakota Access Pipeline to stop construction at their bore site near the Des Moines River.

3 water protectors are occupying inside of DAPL pipeline. DAPL can not pull the pipeline under the Des Monies River!#MississippiStand pic.twitter.com/4lpSItu4SY

— ELIZABETH (@lillabet1952) November 10, 2016

Video from Mississippi Stand’s facebook page show people wearing headlamps crawl inside the pipeline while DAPL private security calls into the pipe for the people to come back. Eventually the camera shows the three forms crawling further into the pipe.

https://www.facebook.com/MississippiStandCamp/videos/220403488382366/

Water protectors held the space inside the pipeline, stopping it’s construction for seventeen hours according to Mississippi Stand’s facebook page.

It’s also been reported that police used ropes to pull out the three water protectors inside.

The police then welded bars over the entrance to the pipe after they were extracted.

The water protectors were released on $1,000 bond and are expect to be in court Wednesday and Thursday, they may face federal charges. Mississippi Stand vows to continue to disrupt Dakota Access Pipeline construction. Alex Cohen of Mississippi Stand said:

“We’ve tried every other political process, and that stuff hasn’t worked. And our mother doesn’t have time. And I think the only thing. I truly believe the only thing that’s going to stop this pipeline is direct action.

This direct action follows a string of direct actions that are part of Mississippi Stands Caravan which has traveled across Iowa disrupting Dakota Access Pipeline construction. The actions have included lock downs at construction site entrances as well as lock downs to construction equipment.” – Alex, Mississippi Stand

Here is a video of the pipeline occupation which stopped construction for seventeen hours.

Unicorn Riot will continue to regularly provide direct updates about resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Follow our media on Twitter, Facebook, and our website for more information surrounding the ongoing struggles against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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Unicorn Riot’s coverage of the anti-Dakota Access Pipeline struggle #NoDAPL from early summer 2016 to present:

March – May 2016

• March 29th, “Tribal Citizens Prepare to Blockade Bakken Oil Pipeline“.
• April 3rd, “Tribal Citizens Build Camp in Path of Oil Pipeline“.
• May 5th, “Sacred Stone Camp Resists Dakota Access Pipeline“.
• May 27th, “Dakota Access Pipeline Blockade Enters 2nd Month“.

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 3rd-4th 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
• October 5, Buffer Zone Holds as Caravans Continue to Disrupt DAPL – New Felony Charges
• October 7, 6 Arrested in Iowa #NoDAPL Action, Including Unicorn Riot Journalist
• October 8, Iowa Water Protectors Blockade DAPL Drill Site Twice in 24 Hours
• October 9, Federal Appeals Court Rules to Allow DAPL Construction
• October 10, 27 Arrests After Water Protectors Pray at DAPL Site on Indigenous People’s Day
• October 12, Lockdown Stops DAPL Construction in Iowa, 3 Arrested, Including Unicorn Riot Journalist
• October 14, Emails Show North Dakota Budget Bureaucracy Behind #NoDAPL Policing
• October 16, Direct Actions Continue to Stop DAPL Construction in Iowa and North Dakota
• October 17, Four Unicorn Riot Journalists Face Charges For Covering #NoDAPL
• October 17, Water Protectors Blockade Highway in Bismarck, Some Charges Dropped
• October 20, As DAPL Construction Advances, Water Protectors Continue Direct Action
• October 22, Water Protectors’ Prayer Walk Ends up with 127 Arrests, Including Unicorn Riot Journalist
• October 23, Law Enforcement Attack Private Drone as Water Protectors Erect Blockade & New Winter Camp
• October 24, Mississippi Stand Blockades Iowa DAPL Drill Waste Site, Drilling Stops
• October 25, Records Release: Morton County’s Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Assistance Agreement
• Hundreds Flood Minneapolis City Hall to Demand Local Sheriff Withdraw from North Dakota
• October 26, Tensions Rise as Pipeline Construction Nears #NoDAPL Blockade
• October 27, Police and Military Attack Oceti Sakowin Treaty Camp

November 2016

• November 1,  #NoDAPL Solidarity Rally & Sit-In in Minneapolis Prods Sheriff into Removing Deputies
• November 1, DAPL Resistance Continues Despite Advancing Construction
• November 2, Police Attack Water Protectors Defending Sacred Sites
• November 5, DAPL Construction Nears US Army Corps Land While Still Lacking Permits
• November 6, Water Protectors Attempt to Reclaim Sacred Burial Site, Demonstrate in Cemetery
• November 8, Dakota Access Announces Plan to Drill Under Missouri River Within Weeks
• November 11, Dakota Access Pipeline Work Stopped As Water Protectors Storm Site; 30+ Arrested
• Novemeber 14, #NoDAPL Water Protectors March on ND State Capitol after Caravan Disrupts Construction