Author: sparki

Grandmothers Blockade Enbridge Line 3 Pipe Yard as Record Setting Heat Rages Across Globe

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pic via Giniw Collective

cross-posted from the Giniw Collective

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2021
Contact: giniw@protonmail.com
Grandmothers Blockade Enbridge Line 3 Pipe Yard as Record Setting Heat Rages Across Globe
(Lake George, MN) Today, 3 grandmothers blockaded an Enbridge Line 3 pipe yard nearby the Mississippi Headwaters. The non-violent direct action follows 14 lockdowns at another Line 3 worksite yesterday, including an Indigenous matriarch.
Sheriffs in Hubbard County have dramatically escalated harassment of Water Protectors, barricading Namewag camp on Monday. Hubbard County requested state aid after sending a riot line into Namewag’s driveway and arresting 12 people, most of whom are women. The request appears to be honored, as dozens of state patrol cars were on scene yesterday and a heavy presence is now in Hubbard County.
While Minnesota relentlessly targets non-violent Water Protectors, a second sex trafficking ring with Enbridge employees was busted on Monday. The Hubbard County Sheriff was on-site arresting the 3 grandmothers standing up for the future as pipe trucks were turned away.
As Water Protectors put their bodies on the line to defend the sacred, record-setting heat cooks the globe. 13 people have died so far Seattle alone, during the extreme heatwave as wild fires rage across the seaboard.
Judy Smucker said, “I’m here as a Grandmother. I have grand children and a family that I love. We are at a great moment in our history, a tipping point. Mother Earth has given us all these gifts for free: clean water, clean air. We have to take care of it. It’s the heart of everything: we take care of mother earth, she takes care of us. “
Claudia Sheehan said, “Action is very important. Without action there is complacency, with complaceny we give the greed in the world a chance to grow. You have to stand up for your beliefs, you have to allow the spirit to move you. Take action, find your spirit and yourself that’s going to guide you and go with it.”
Anne said, “Action is crucial now, and there are actions that everyone can take. Start learning. What is the connection between our energy day customs, habits, especially consumerism, and a pipeline threatening Native lands in Minnesota? That’s a connection that we are taught not too see. So we have to learn and take action. “
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Giniw Collective is an Indigenous-women, 2-Spirit led frontline resistance to protect our Mother, defend the sacred and live in balance. We stand unafraid. Prayers into action. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @GiniwCollective

Water Protector sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison for actions to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

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Cross-posted from Free Jessica 

For Immediate Release Thursday, July 1st, 2021

Water Protector sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison for actions to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact: freejessicareznicek@gmail.com

Des Moines, IA –On Wednesday Federal Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Jessica Reznicek to 8 years in prison, followed by 3 years supervised probation, and a restitution of $3,198,512.70 paid to Energy Transfer LLC for the actions she took in 2016 to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

“I am saddened to be preparing for prison following today’s sentencing hearing. My spirit remains strong, however, as I feel held in love, support and prayer by so many near and far. Regardless of my sentence I am hopeful that movements to protect the water live on in the struggles against Line 3 and the Mountain Valley Pipelines. ” Jessica Reznicek

The judge sided with the Federal prosecutors and applied a domestic terrorism enhancement to Jessica’s case. The enhancement originated in the Bush era Patriot Act, which expanded the definition of terrorism to cover “domestic,” as opposed to international, terrorism. The prosecutor requested the enhancement claiming that Jessica’s acts of resistance were “violent”, “dangerous”, and sought to “intimidate the government”. The judge decided that this argument provided enough evidence to substantiate the enhancement, saying it was necessary to discourage others from taking similar actions.

The enhancement increases Jessica’s sentence, but also has far reaching implications for broader social justice movements. This use of this enhancement interprets non-violent actions that challenge corporate profit as acts of terror against the government.

On today’s decision one of Jessica’s attorneys Bill Quigley stated, “Unfortunately, actions to protect our human right to water were found to be less important than the profit and property of corporations which are destroying our lands and waters. For a country which was founded by the rebellion of the Boston Tea Party this is extremely disappointing. But the community of resistance will no doubt carry on. And history will judge if Jessica Reznicek is a criminal or a prophet. Many of us are betting she’s a prophet.”

In her statement to the court Jessica highlighted how the water system for her hometown of Des Moines is on the verge of collapse. The city water department has admitted that both the Des Moines and Racoon rivers are so polluted and low that in the upcoming weeks they might not be able to continue to use them to supply the capital with drinking water. Meanwhile “victim” in this case Energy Transfer Partners and its subsidiaries are responsible for 313 reported spills since 2012 on liquid lines, 35 caused water contamination. In the last 5 years the company had more accidents harming people or the environment than any other operator.

Jessica will remain on house arrest until she has to self-report for her sentence and plans to file an appeal within the 14 day window allowed by the court.

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#FreeJessica #WaterIsLife #NoDAPL

Water Protectors Flow Over Enbridge Line 3 Worksite, Native Matriarch Locks Down, Rainforest Action Network Executive Director Risks Arrest

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pic via Giniw Collective

cross-posted from the Giniw Collective

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2021
Contact: giniw@protonmail.com
Water Protectors Flow Over Enbridge Line 3 Worksite, Native Matriarch Locks Down, Rainforest Action Network Executive Director Risks Arrest
(Park Rapids, MN) Today, dozens of water protectors flowed over a Line 3 construction site while one Native matriarch locked to heavy equipment and the executive director of Rainforest Action Nework risked arrest, halting construction. The action comes as Enbridge has begun drilling over 20 rivers and 800 wetlands in Anishinaabe treaty territory.
Sheriffs in Hubbard County continue to blockade Giniw Collective’s Native-led resistance camp from accessing their own land by stating they cannot return by vehicle once they leave home.
A dozen people were arrested in their driveway on Monday night; Hubbard County police sent a riot line. Police continue to barricade Namewag, the Native-led encampment who owns the land, into their property. One water protector was pulled over this morning by Hubbard County as they left camp, the sheriff claimed they “violated the easement”. Governor Walz and Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan remain silent about the ongoing gross abuse of power by the Hubbard County Sheriff.

pic via Giniw Collective

Actions continue against Line 3, which has yet to receive any comment from the White House. While the federal and state administrations pledge action on violence against Native women, there are nearly 5000 employees in northern Minnesota building Line 3, most of whom are from out of state. A second sex trafficking ring that included Enbridge employees was busted on Monday.

Mama Julz, Oglala Lakota, founder of Mothers against Meth said, “We’re not going to stop this pipeline by prayer only. Prayer and action go hand in hand!”
Ginger Cassidy, Executive Director of Rainforest Action Network said, “This pipeline is a violent assault on Indigenous People and their treaty rights and a climate catastrophe that threatens all of us. Climate chaos is already causing real world suffering and massive new fossil fuel expansion like this is completely reckless. Biden and the Banks financing this project must withdraw support for Line 3 immediately.”
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Giniw Collective is an Indigenous-women, 2-Spirit led frontline resistance to protect our Mother, defend the sacred and live in balance. We stand unafraid. Prayers into action. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @GiniwCollective

FREE #DefundLine3 art for your city or town

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Can’t make it to Minnesota to #StopLine3? You can still play a big role in shutting it down.

Movement artists have put together an incredible FREE #DefundLine3 poster package to put up all around your city or town. The more people know about the injustice happening, the stronger the movement will be to stop it.

IMAGINE: Tens of thousands of colorful #DefundLine3 posters on walls and on business windows in hundreds of cities and towns across the US. Only you can make it happen!!

Get your free #DefundLine3 poster art package now.

The fight to stop Line 3 is heating up in Minnesota. Hundreds of activists have put themselves in harm’s way to make sure this dirty and dangerous pipeline doesn’t continue to get built. More and more people are going to the Indigenous-led frontlines to stand against the pipeline. Actions are happening every day.

Now it’s important to make sure the whole country knows the injustice happening and the Indigenous-led movement to defund and stop Line 3.

Let’s be as loud as we can and make sure Line 3 doesn’t continue to be built. Join the #DefundLine3 arts team now to spread the word in your community.

Line 3 is a proposed pipeline to bring nearly a million barrels of toxic tar sands per day from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin — through sacred wild rice beds, and the headwaters of the Mississippi. Grassroots resistance to the Line 3 pipeline has resulted in hundreds of actions across the country and the world. Join the movement with us!

Donate to poster shipping costs if you can.

Join the art deployment webinar on July 8th at 5 pm PST/8 pm EST to hear from artists David Solnit and Cy Wagoner on how to use the newspaper posters and use other art-based tactics such as street murals, banner drops, street theater, and more!

This is a project collaboratino of the NDN Collective, David Solnit, and Stop The Money Pipeline.