Tag: Enbridge

MN: Water Protectors blockade truck drilling equipment, police arrest 30 on public road

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cross-posted from the Giniw Collective

(Hubbard County, MN north of Shell River) Water Protectors blockade sem

photo credit: Giniw Collective

i loaded with drilling equipment for Minnesota rivers, 2 lockdowns in progress Enbridge’s drills are here for our dangerously low rivers to bore toxic tar sands through delicate ecosystems and Anishinaabe treaty territory.

The state of Minnesota turned its back on Indigenous sovereignty and climate science, the state judiciary followed suit. The people stand strong! Ericka, a Water Protector, said, “We have to protect the water for our children. For our children’s children.”
Sabine, a Water Protector, said, “President Biden, you can stop this.”
Hubbard County sheriffs also illegally arrested nearly 30 demonstrators on the side of a public road. They’re being held at Hubbard and Becker County jails.

photo credit: Giniw Collective

In response to the arrests:

“Calling all Water Protectors: we need your help! This morning, Hubbard County sheriffs illegally arrested nearly 30 demonstrators on the side of a public road. They’re being held at Hubbard and Becker County jails.

We call on the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Attorney General to intervene.
Sample script: Hello, my name is _________ and I’m calling on Gov Walz/Lt Gov Flanagan/AG Ellison to rein in Hubbard County’s escalated and unlawful attacks on constitutional demonstration and private citizens. A foreign company is incentivizing and militarizing Minnesota law enforcement; end it now!”
If you want to get involved, please fill out this form and join a regular orientation call.

Keystone XL is dead. Now it’s time to stop Line 3.

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UPDATE: Camp Firelight was peacefully evicted by the Clearwater County Sheriff Dept. on the demands of Enbridge on June 14th.

Now is the time to join the fight to stop Line 3.

Yesterday, TC Energy announced that they were terminating the Keystone XL Pipeline project after over a decade of organizing and resistance from the Alberta tar sands to the Gulf Coast.

We know that organizing, direct action and resistance to pipelines works. We just proved it again.

Courageous water protectors took action by the thousands on Monday supporting Treaty Rights and opposing the construction of Line 3 in Minnesota. Over 150 water protectors were arrested while shutting down Enbridge’s Two Inlets pumping station. They locked to equipment, blocked roads and stopped work for 30 hours!

At the same time, more than a thousand people marched, occupied and held a prayer ceremony on Enbridge’s drilling site on the Mississippi River. This has led to an indefinite encampment on the site. This has foiled Enbridge’s plans to drill under the river.

But, to continue to protect this precious place, the RISE Coalition has issued a call for all allies and accomplices to join them as soon as possible at Camp Firelight, a new Anishinaabe-led encampment at the Mississippi headwaters in the direct path of Line 3.  

We’re asking you for two things:

  1. GO! We need as many people to travel to support the fight against Line 3 as soon as possible. If you are able to join the camp at the headwaters of the Mississippi please contact the RISE Coalition at RiseCoalition@protonmail.com.
  2. DONATE! Over 150 people have been arrested in Giniw Collective-led direct actions against Line 3 this week. We need support for our water protectors. Please donate here.

If you are unable to attend or just getting back from Line 3, you can help put pressure on Joe Biden by organizing a solidarity action at a federal building. Contact us at info@risingtidenorthamerica.org for more information if you can organize an event.

The Treaty People Gathering has increased the pressure, and with Keystone XL dead now we need to stop all tar sands pipelines.

Can you help us get the word out? If so, AMPLIFY the call to action to join Camp Firelight on Twitter and Facebook.

Statement on Line 3 Arrestees Still Being Held in Minnesota

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photo: Giniw Collective

cross-posted from the Giniw Collective

Statement on Line 3 Arrestees Still Being Held in Minnesota:

“After a mass action shutting down a Line 3 pump station, over 150 water protectors were arrested. Arrestees have since been transferred to Aitkin County, Kandiyohi County, Douglas County, Pine County, Todd County & Becker County. The counties are part of the 16-county Northern Lights Task Force, which has received significant funding from the Enbridge Corporation. To date, sheriffs have billed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Enbridge-funded and state-overseen Public Safety Escrow Account.

Some water protectors were held for 16 – 20 hours without being booked, denied medical prescriptions, denied medical attention despite multiple requests for aid, along with multiple violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act. In Kandiyohi County Jail, water protectors were denied their right to speak to an attorney, as friends and family members did not get to check in on the health and well-being of loved ones.

One jail support volunteer said, “Attorney Keith Ellison and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan must intervene and not allow these county agencies to grossly misuse their power.”

Water Protectors Blockade Enbridge Line 3 Man Camp During MMIWG2S Awareness Week

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cross-posted from Giniw Collective

May 6, 2021
(Backus, MN) This morning, 11 protectors locked to each other in front of both entrances to Enbridge’s Backus, MN, man camp location to stop destruction of the sacred and stand against the community harms fossil fuels bring. Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2-Spirit relatives is an epidemic throughout Indian Country. Many of the water protectors this morning are grandparents.
Thousands of out-of-state workers have poured into northern Minnesota, despite Enbridge’s promises to employ mostly in-state. It asserted 75% would be Minnesotans, the number of locals actually employed by the company sits at 33%.
The violence committed on our land becomes the violence committed on our people. A MMIW-sensitivity training session for workers here to destroy Indigenous land will never be enough. 3 Ojibwe nations are suing against approval of Enbridge’s Line 3 project. The Line 3 project should’ve never been approved and the unnecessary risks to local communities never experienced.
Alex Chatfield, a father and social worker from Massachusetts, said, “Together with other members of my Episcopal Church, I have been fighting to protect the Earth’s climate for my children and vulnerable people on the front lines of the climate emergency.”
Marla Marcum, a (co)Founder of the Climate Disobedience Center and a person of faith who lives on Cherokee lands in Knoxville’s, Tennessee, said, “I feel called to take this action in solidarity with the Indigenous leaders who defend the lands and waters that are most directly impacted by Line 3 and the communities who search for and mourn the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit relatives taken from them by pipeline construction man camps like this one.”
Rachel Wyon, a mother and climate justice advocate from Massachusetts, said, “I answered the call to stand with Indigenous mothers and grandmothers here fighting to Stop Line 3, demanding respect for their sovereign treaties and telling the world to wake up and stop the destruction of our sacred Mother Earth by fossil fuel extraction — Resist Line 3 and Keep it in the Ground for all living beings and future generations.”
Melinda Tuhus, a climate activist and grandmother from New Haven Connecticut, said, “I came to fight line 3 in support of indigenous sovereignty and a livable planet for everyone.”
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