Coloradans standing in solidarity with the DAPL protestors

Thousands of Native American protestors and their allies have been gathering in peaceful protest at the Standing Rock camp in North Dakota to block the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a multi-billion dollar pipeline, spanning four states, which goes across sacred tribal land and has the possibility to pollute the water for the local community. The world watched in horror over the Labor Day weekend as dogs were set on protestors who were also pepper sprayed by private security guards.  KGNU’s Elena Klaver has been in North Dakota and spoke to a protestor from the Yakama Nation about what she witnessed over the weekend.

On Tuesday September 6th, a judge ruled to temporarily halt construction on a portion of the Dakota Access oil pipeline, but that decision did not protect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s burial grounds that were plowed up by the pipeline company over Labor Day weekend.

Alan Gilbert, Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver,  has just returned from North Dakota where he has been for the past 5 days standing in solidarity with the Native American tribes protesting the pipeline.

On August 24th in Boulder, members of the Standing Rock community gathered to share their experiences of resisting the pipeline. Cozme Duarte told KGNU’s Elena Klaver that Native American tribes in Colorado are also dealing with the issue of catastrophic environmental contamination.

There will be a Four Directions Walk And Rally Standing In Solidarity With Standing Rock, 6 p.m. on Thursday September 8th.  For starting places for the walk and for the FB RSVP here. This gathering is to bring awareness and show support to the water protectors at Standing Rock.  People will be meeting in 4 locations, walking in from the north, south, east and west coming together on the west steps of the Capital in Denver. They will be offering prayer, dancing and song in support.