Cops attack Standing Rock ‘protectors’ with water cannons in freezing weather; 167 hurt, 7 badly

Last night, November 20, millions of people around the world watched independent media coverage of the over-militarized North Dakota police force endangering the lives of hundreds of people opposing the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

In October, a police barricade was set-up with military vehicles chained to concrete barriers on a bridge on Highway 1806, north of the pipeline opposition camps, cutting off vital transportation access for local residents and businesses in and around the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Early last night the Water Protectors attempted to remove the blockade. Police said they would at some point open the road after their October 27 raid and demolition of the protectors’ camp set up adjacent to the blockade. The camp was on an easement granted to the pipeline builder, land that was taken from the various Sioux bands in violation of the 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty.

The Water Protectors were met with hundreds of riot police, military vehicles with Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), water cannons, tear-gas canisters, high-pressure pepper spray and rubber bullets. The temperature was 26° Fahrenheit and rapidly dropping as hundreds of people were drenched with icy water. Police tear-gas canisters were tossed into the crowd, some were lobbed back. A large crowd on a bridge were unable to disperse and were forced to inhale too much gas. Many people started vomiting and losing bowel and bladder control from the coughing. 

The water cannons were in use for more than five hours along with intermittent fire of rubber bullets, gas canisters and pepper spray.

UPDATE FROM HEAD MEDIC OF THE OCETI SAKOWIN CAMP 11:11PM:
167 Water Protectors have been injured. 3 of those people are elders.
7 people have been hospitalized for severe head injuries. The police are targeted [sic] the heads and legs of Water Protectors.

There are no fatalities. Standing Rock EMT is still on site.