Tag: Minnesota

Water Protectors Lock to Enbridge Drilling Equipment Boring Line 3 Under River

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photo: Giniw Collective

cross-posted from Giniw Collective

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2021
Contact: giniw@protonmail.com
Water Protectors Lock to Enbridge Drilling Equipment Boring Line 3 Under River
(Straight River, MN) Several Water Protectors locked to a Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) being used by Enbridge to bore its Line 3 tar sands pipeline under the Straight River in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
Enbridge has over 5,000 workers in northern Minnesota, most of whom are from out-of-state, drilling its tar sands expansion project through our rivers, wetlands, and wild rice waters. The Canadian multi-national applied for a variance in its water usage, upping its need from roughly 500M gallons to 4.98B gallons. It is currently draining rivers and lakes across the northland, during a drought and record-setting heat that put the region in extreme or high fire danger for most of June.
Today’s action follows a mass mobilization of water protectors from all over Turtle Island which resulted in the largest non-violent direct action to date, with nearly 200 arrests and countless more inspired to join the fight.
Police have grown far more aggressive since the mobilization — Hubbard County sheriffs illegally arrested nearly 30 demonstrators exercising their right to assemble last week. A K-9 unit was documented at the Red River crossing near the Red Lake Treaty Camp, in echoes of the attack dogs used on unarmed women and children at Standing Rock.
Despite repeated calls from frontlines communities, a pending federal lawsuit, and over 500 arrests since construction started last December, President Biden has yet to order the Army Corps to perform an environmental review of Trump’s water crossing permits.

photo: Giniw Collective

Water protector, author, and mother Madeline Ffitch said, “I’m here to answer the call to action from Anishinaabe water protectors who are protecting their territory against Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline. I’m a settler on stolen land, and I think at this juncture if that’s true for you, you need to pick a side. I want to be on the side of people who belong to the land, indigenous people who have had their land stolen, and who are in the midst of 500 years of resistance. That’s the side I want to be on and I don’t want there to be any question about that. I want to be able to tell my children and the generations to come that I did everything in my power, everything I can, to make sure that there is a future for the next generations.”

Another Water Protector said, “I come from stolen Monacan and Tutelo land where the Mountain Valley Pipeline is being constructed. I believe that from the hills to the headwaters we need to act in solidarity with all people resisting extraction in their communities. Betray your whiteness, betray your class, be a traitor to a system that benefits you at the expense of indigenous people, a system that steals our futures away from us.”
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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.
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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.

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 Line 3 Construction Ahead of Full-Scale Assault on Minnesota Waterways

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cross-posted from Giniw Collective

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 24, 2021
Contact: giniw@protonmail.com

(Crow Wing, MN) Today, water protectors locked to each other through the treads of excavators tearing through the Earth constructing the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.

Enbridge is just weeks away from resuming full-scale construction through Minnesota’s wetlands and drilling 22 rivers, including the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Biden’s administration has expressed deep concern at the growing resistance in Northern Minnesota. To date, over 250 Water Protectors, largely young people, have been arrested through Minnesota’s hard winter protecting the sacred.

One water protector said, “I’m taking action today to prevent our societies continual reliance on fossil fuels. The flow of oil in Line 3 affects the rising sea levels of my home in New York City and I am honored to be working with Anishinaabe leadership in our collective struggle.”

Water Protector Chris said, “Enbridge should not be allowed to continue to commit its crimes against humanity, against ecosystems, and its assault on Ojibwe bodies & terrritories. We must stop Line 3!”
Mathew of New Orleans said, “I am here because we are fighting this pipeline, but beacuse we are fighting all pipelines. We no longer need to expand our fossil fuel infrastructure, when we are already in a moment of global climate apartheid. ”

Another water protector from Austin, Texas, said, “If we allow this pipeline to be put in, water will be poisoned, and people will die. We need to take responsibility for our water and our friends. Together we can Stop Line 3!
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