Nov. 22: I awoke today unsettled, two days after the bridge action in which more than 300 water protectors required medical attention due to clear police overreaction to prayerful demonstration.
The evening conflict began when a small group from Oceti Sakowin Camp took it upon themselves to begin unblocking the Route 1806 bridge. The police-supported blockade of the highway has been in effect since Oct. 27.
Over three weeks ago, the police said that they would clear and open the road. They have made no effort to do so. Not only is the roadblock affecting the “protesters,” as the authorities call them, it also causes the entire community south of the roadblock to drive at least an additional 30 minutes out of the way to get to and from Bismarck.
Even ambulances and emergency vehicles cannot pass through the police barricade, which increases risk to people from across the reservation and the many communities living south of the barricade.
Camp members, tired of waiting for the police to reopen the road. took a tractor-trailer to the bridge and towed a burned-out truck out of the way. Before they could manage to remove the additional barriers, the police began a barrage on the water protectors, which lasted over 10 hours.
Water cannons mounted atop armored vehicles were used to spray people almost continuously during the freezing cold night.
Tear gas, rubber bullets, beanbag ordinance, concussion grenades, and LRAD (long-range acoustic device) sound cannons were used repeatedly as the crowd quickly grew to more than 1,000 people standing in opposition through prayer.
Of the more than 300 injured, six water protectors were taken immediately to hospital by ambulances. This included an elder in cardiac arrest.
According to the camp medical providers, more than 100 of the injured had hyperthermia from the water fired on them. A female water protector had her arm severely injured when a concussion grenade detonated. After undergoing many hours of reconstructive surgery, she is still hospitalized in Minneapolis, where they are attempting to save her arm.
An indigenous war veteran on the camp's volunteer medical team brought this woman to the hospital. Her response to seeing the patient's wound: ”This clearly is a combat wound.”
Another protector is still in critical condition after being shot in the head with “non-lethal” weapons.
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Believing in communication to overcome controversy, I engage people who support the Dakota Access Pipeline when opportunities arise.
The intensity of the miscommunication I come up against is striking. While not too surprising, it is nonetheless disappointing.
I have spoken to multiple people in the nearby communities who believe the water protectors are paid as much as $36 per hour. I have yet to find anyone who is being paid. On the contrary, I find that most people are making large sacrifices to be here.
Another misconception I frequently confront is that people against the pipeline for environmental reasons are also against those dressed in blue.
I struggle to find the connection and question the belief.
Observation confirms, for me, that most water protectors are supportive and appreciative of the police. I know some who have many family members in branches of law enforcement. Water protectors - in meetings, at actions, and around campfires - mostly speak with compassion to those working for the authorities.
This struggle alone has gone on for over seven months, with tens of thousands of water protectors coming and going. Undoubtedly, some are less peaceful than others.
A short video on the Internet is cited as an example that protesters are violent, even throwing a Molotov cocktail–style incendiary device at police. The event was filmed from the sky during the evening disturbance against the police on the Backwater Bridge on Oct. 27.
This incident happened hours after the police stormed the frontline 1851 Treaty Camp, where 140 protesters were arrested. People, including women and children, were pepper sprayed, a sacred Inipi sweat lodge was torn down, a man who was sitting in a Hambleceya “crying for a vision ceremony” was hog-tied by the ankles and wrists with zip ties before being dragged out of the tipi and subjected to other questionably aggressive tactics.
I do not desire to justify any use of violence against the police. However, I do feel actions and reactions are more understandable when put into context of the larger story.
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The Sacred Fire Circle prayers began today before dawn with two veterans - Guy Dull Knife, a Lakota elder from Pine Ridge Reservation, and J.R. American Horse, from Standing Rock Reservation - waking the camp up.
“Wake up, water protectors!” they said. “You are here for a purpose! It is time to rise up, greet the new day, and stop this black snake.”
Guy stated that he could not say good morning to everyone because it was a sad day.
He had been in the hospital recuperating from walking pneumonia. The bridge standoff news reached him, and he tore off his intravenous tubes as he was notified about the wounded protectors in danger.
Guy returned to offer the morning prayers. He thanks us all genuinely for supporting the movement from near and afar, telling us that “they are trying to kill this movement and are willing to kill us if needed.”
He says there should be millions here. That is what is needed to stop the corporations from treating life as less significant than humanity and the environment.
We can live without oil, he says. We cannot live without mni wiconi, the sacred water that is life. We are here for our families, our children, their children, and those still unborn.
We are all one family standing together. The strength we have is in prayer, especially in numbers. Millions are needed to let the authorities know that people from all walks of life, all religions, all cultures, are in tune with the creator and are coming together to take a stand.
We are not paid to come from all parts of the world as we are doing, Guy continues. We are not against the police. In fact, we also pray for them and their supporters daily. We hope they can see into their own hearts and have compassion to come join us - or at least walk away from their oppressive jobs. We send the call out to the creator to come and help us in the collective power of prayer.
Melanie Stoneman, a Sicangu Lakota woman from Rosebud Reservation, speaks to this being a different kind of fight, a spiritual war. We must take care of the Mother Earth and all of her children, she says. Living life in a good way is living in prayer.
Every action is a prayer, she says. The Mother Earth needs all of us to add our prayers. Anyone is not only welcomed but encouraged to speak at the sacred circle.
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Erik Grubb stood this morning wanting to acknowledge lessons he is learning. He tells of his coming to help the indigenous people, believing he came prepared to care for himself, so as not to be a burden. He came thinking he was aware of traditional values enough to be conscious in a good way.
After unintentionally insulting a Lakota woman yesterday, he spoke at length with the woman, looking for resolution. Erik realized he can never undo the injustice and unfairness that indigenous people, as do all people of color, live with. He is and will always be from a privileged background.
Now, he at least understands this inequality enough to know he wants to help - but to help from the place of someone who is learning, and always will be learning.
He came as a white man and knows he will always be one. He now recognizes that we are all one family and need to stand as one family, in a proper way.
The feeling is one I empathize with. We are a cultural construction of our background and where we come from. We merely need to continually work to be the best we can. As it is told the Buddha once said, “We never will really know if we make a difference in life, but we should always live as if we might”.