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There’s lots of video and reports out there on the North Dakota police raid on Sacred Ground Camp yesterday, Thursday, October 27. At least 100+, and some estimate 200, police surrounded a new, bold prayer camp recently set up on ancestral land that was taken from the Sioux, in a violation of the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1851.
This new camp was called Sacred Ground Camp because it is near the desecrated ancestral grave sites Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) bulldozed over the Labor Day weekend before the sites could be examined.
Law enforcement was sent in to tear down the camp and force the people there to leave. Those who wouldn’t leave were arrested. The exact number of people arrested is unclear since they were processed at numerous locations. The reported range is 117 to 140+.
The video report I’m going to use today is from Dallas Goldtooth who posted several videos yesterday from the frontline. I appreciate how calm Dallas is in his reports, even after being pepper sprayed.
The photo at the top of my story is from this video report.
Below are screenshots from this video that are significant. I’ll explain under each photo.
Casey Camp-Horinek, (long braids) a Ponca elder and Tribal Council Member, is standing in prayer waiting to be arrested. She is tightly surrounded by supporters who are protecting her and standing strong with her. They all refuse to move. They are holding their line.
Casey Camp-Horinek offers her prayer to the officers when they order her to move back. She won't budge.
In a miraculous moment of humanity, the North Dakota police confer with each other as I can only assume that they don't want to harm Casey Camp-Horinek and the other elders, because they won't retreat. The captain can be heard to say, "move around this group." Casey is arrested at this point but hopefully spared physical abuse. I heard this morning from her daughter that she was released and is okay.
However, that humane moment was instantly gone when the cops step quickly around Casey and her group to use their huge canisters of pepper spray on the crowd.
Police move in quickly and mass-pepper spray the crowd behind Casey Camp-Horinek.
Sacred Ground Camp was overtaken and dismantled by North Dakota police.
The Oceti Sakowin, Sacred Stone, Rosebud and Red Warrior camps are still standing.
In my diary yesterday on Oct. 27 — Cops, Nat'l Guard use sonic device to disperse Water Protectors, concussion grenades to scare bison, I reported about an update from Dallas Goldtooth:
(My transcription of his Live update)
...and something you have to remember. First and foremost, there are no weapons on our side. None of our people have weapons or had weapons. The only weapons that you saw today were being held by North Dakota state law enforcement or other law enforcement who are there. That's the only weapons that were in sight. Only things that we had was our bodies and prayer, that's it. You have to definitely be mindful of that.
And the other thing is that, at a moment when the police were pushing us south, there was all these buffalo, these bison that came running to the east, just like a herd of bison came running over the hills, stampeding and everybody's like...wooo! War whoops, they were just like letting it out. 'Cause they just saw like a couple a hundred that were stampeding behind the police line. And then a couple of seconds later, you saw some water protectors on horseback who were basically corralling the buffalo to come over. And the police went on ATVs and the helicopters zoomed in low and like pushed the buffalo away and scared the buffalo back. Then what proceeded to happen was like a chase of these police on ATVs, we’re chasing our horseback riders and they were shooting, like concussion grenades, like shooting them at the horses. But I don't know what happened. I was told the horses got out.
(See mollyd’s link to a report from earlier this morning: Police from 5 states escalate violence, shoot horses to clear 1851 treaty camp)
Here is the video capturing the bison run off in the distance. I love our Water Protectors elation as our Tatanka Oyate, the buffalo nation appears!
The young man being interviewed explains that he feels disrespected by DAPL and the police force aiding them. He says the only reason he and the other Water Protectors are being pushed back is because they are unarmed and the police have batons, guns, pepper spray, riot gear and bullets. “That’s what it takes for them.”
Suddenly, a huge heard of bison appear in the distance. The Water Protectors whoop and cheer them on. The Tatanka Oyate, the buffalo nation is one with all the Lakota!
I think it’s the same thing as history repeating itself, we’re trying to stand up for the land, just like our ancestors did. And these folks are coming in just like their ancestors did, for greed, for want.
~Dan Nanamkin of the Colville Nez Perce in Washington
BACKGROUND: My detailed news timeline on Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) vs. the water protectors can be read here if you need it.
And beware of false information out there. We have some fake Indians claiming outrageous stuff and lying about being in Standing Rock.
Call the White House today at 202-456-1111 or send a message to whitehouse.gov/contact. Ask President Obama to support the peaceful protest and act on behalf of the 17 million Americans who depend on the Missouri River for their clean water.
Tell North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple to stop this aggressive law enforcement on behalf of DAPL. e-mail contact page: www.governor.nd.gov/...
phone: 701.328.2200: fax: 701.328.2205
We are all stewards of the earth
More reports:
"A Shameful Moment for This Country": Report Back on Militarized Police Raid of DAPL Resistance Camp OCTOBER 28, 2016 by Democracy Now!
North Dakota: Militarized Police Raid Anti-Pipeline Camp, Arrest 141 OCTOBER 28, 2016 by Democracy Now!
Saturday, Oct 29, 2016 · 7:26:44 AM +00:00 · navajo
And from WIRED magazine: As Standing Rock Protesters Face Down Armored Trucks, the World Watches on Facebook. An excellent overview of the social media side of reporting events.
It’s a wonder any of these livestreams managed to happen at all. Cellular service at Standing Rock is reportedly abysmal. “It’s a blackout, from when it first started, because there is no communication,” Chief Looking Horse of the Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota Nations told WIRED last month at a meeting in New York. It wasn’t always like that, he explains. “We used to have our cell phones, but as soon as we took a stand there, they just shut us out,” he said. “You can’t even make calls from the cell phone from that camp. You have to go probably about 20 miles south to get service.” WIRED was not able to verify this claim. [...]
[...] At 4:45pm ET, livestreaming shows law enforcement crossing the hay bale roadblock protestors have in the road. “My aunties and uncles are getting arrested down there,” Hoferer tells Facebook Live at 4:55pm ET. Police order him down from the truck he’s recording from. Before he signs off he yells, “20,000 people are watching you right now!”
