Standing Rock Update: Why Is the Highway 1806 Bridge Still Blockaded?

New video of the militarized, fortified blockade of a public highway near Cannonball was published on December 11. The vid below is 39 minutes long, but you should watch at least the first 15 minutes. In addition to the concrete barriers that were dropped onto the bridge several weeks ago, new coils of razor wire have been added, and the razor wire now extends hundreds of yards in both directions perpendicular to the bridge and also up the hill on both sides.

A camera operates 24 hours a day, and the Morton County mercenaries and their buddies are stationed just over the hill. Watch them arrive in force and with weapons. This is a war zone.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A_negFB7YE&feature=youtu.be]

The blockading of this public highway creates a dangerous situation for the health and well-being of the residents of that area, adding at least 45 minutes to emergency response vehicles or getting someone to a hospital. Why is this allowed to continue?

The ND Department of Transportation and the Morton County sheriff's department both claim that the bridge is closed because of possible structural damage that occurred during the November 20 assault on the water protectors (the night of the water cannons). But no inspection has been done to confirm that, and the fortifications and aggressive response from the cops every time someone approaches prove that this has nothing to do with the bridge and everything to do with keeping water protectors hemmed in and away from the ongoing construction of the pipeline. No matter what you have been told by mainstream media and the elected officials of the tribe, construction of the DAPL has not stopped. Energy Transfer Partners is defying the court order and the Army Corps of Engineers, and the cops are there to protect the company's lawless actions and to inconvenience and threaten the water protectors.

The people in the video make it clear that they can hear the drilling, and it appears that they have informants among the pipeline workers. They report that a drill bit broke off in the ground, which has delayed construction while ETP tries to fix that situation. But even when they're not actively drilling, they continue to lay pipe elsewhere. There is recent drone footage that shows earth-moving equipment in action just a few days ago.

Contact info for the ND Department of Transportation. 701-328-2500 (main number), 701-328-6950 (Bismarck district), 701-328-4559 (traffic safety office), 701-328-4444 (communications and media), and/or email.

We keep hearing the lies from the sheriff and the governor about their "concern" for people's safety. The situation at the Backwater Bridge is actually creating danger for people, and it is solely caused by the cops and mercenaries.

Oceti Sakowin Becoming All-Nations Camp

There have been a number of changes and reorganization on the ground, and it has become clear that there is divergence among the various folks about how to proceed. Chase Iron Eyes of Last Real Indians and a group of about 15 water protectors produced the following video on December 10, explaining why they're staying. It's another long one (30 mins), but you can skip the first couple of minutes as they get settled, and Iron Eyes' statement only lasts about 10 minutes, and then others speak.

We are here, we are committed, we are committed to carrying on. There are thousands of us still here at camp.

Peace does not back down. Peace is power, the power to connect with each other and rely on each other.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bvDV3yeKwU]

LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, the founder and one of the leaders of Sacred Stone Camp, made this statement (3:15) a few days ago.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6rdy49e7Vc]

My Vote for People of the Year

time person of the year. water protectors.JPG

Other News

In response to the uproar over the threatening events in the hotel parking lot (see my coverage, including video, here), police arrested one white man and charged him with "terrorizing." I haven't seen anything more than this one article from Bismarck.

Leonard Peltier's youngest son has died at the age of 41. He never saw his father outside of prison. Peltier remains a political prisoner, incarcerated for decades by the U.S. government. Here's a link for more information about him and a petition to sign for his release.

[video:https://youtu.be/8cxPI5szC4g]

If you're looking for some small, local thing you can do that will make a difference in someone's life, here's a lovely suggestion:

pay kids' lunch tweet.JPG

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can be, and as many leaders of the water protectors are co-opted as possible, an all out assault to clear the encampment will take place. I fear for their safety and I wish that there were an international presence, if not from the UN then from respected NGO's.

These are courageous people fighting the world's fight.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

blazinAZ's picture

The upcoming "holidays" -- when so many people will be distracted -- feels like a prime opportunity for the mercenaries to attack.

I hope that both of our fears are unfounded.

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

solublefish's picture

is the deafening roar silence of the 'Change We Can Believe In' administration on this. Could there be a more obvious example of a government that does not give a shit about its people? 'Law and order' only apply to the little people, apparently, not to corporations and members of the elite. Sheesh, who needs to read C. Wright Mills anymore? The functioning of the Power Elite is completely overt.

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delivered, the Obama administration was the worst within living memory. Something simple like the card check method of union organizing was never pursued when the Dems owned both houses of Congress. Obama and his FCC put the Fairness Doctrine out of reach of executive orders.

The extra-legal murder of American citizens warrants prosecution in and of itself.

Only people who are willfully blind can deny the sheer lousiness of the past 8 years.

"The stain, the stains..."

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Well , I suspect that it should have been 'Change you won't want to believe in, so that many propagandized people will (fortunately for the Greeds) deny it long enough for the finalization of the corporate/billionaire coup', but that was too long to be really snappy as a meme.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

detroitmechworks's picture

As soon as the Vets showed up... BIG announcement that it's all cool, they can go home...

And then everything continues on as normal, except now the MSM has a beard to claim that the story's over.

I wonder how a symbolic Phalanx would be reacted to by the PTB. Because if we aren't allowed to fight back with modern tactics, are we allowed to have Dories? I know they'd freak out over a Xiphos, of course.

However, the IMAGERY would be phenomenal.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

blazinAZ's picture

. . . but I had hoped for something more substantial.

I was wishing for the image of a huge group of veterans dismantling the roadblock under the eyes of the mercenaries, daring them to respond the way the cops earlier did against the water protectors.

Alas, the Corps of Engineers announcement was timed to undercut the veterans' self-deployment, and the weather that weekend didn't help either.

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

Lookout's picture

Another effort is underway in Alpine TX fighting the Trans-Pecos pipeline near the big bend.
http://earthfirstjournal.org/newswire/2016/12/07/pipeline-protesters-arr...

A vet was arrested in Live Oak FL in another pipeline protest
http://njtoday.net/2016/12/11/pipeline-protest-florida-mirrors-dapl-nj-c...
more on that effort
http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/news/ga_fl_news/sabal-trail-protesters-c...

All over the country people are standing up. The Exxon - Koch fueled T-rump cabinet may add energy to the protests...I hope so.

Thanks for the update

I enjoyed these two pieces from Jordan at TYT. He's about to leave camp. I'll miss his reports.
Chase Iron Eyes talks about the change in the nature of the camp (8 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-cLKGDjJcw]
Amy even used some of this clip on Democracy Now this morning

and another nice piece on awakening the youth (9 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9qpkggaEsA

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

blazinAZ's picture

Sorry to hear that Jordan is leaving. He's been a wonderful asset.

Thanks, Lookout, for staying on top of things.

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

gulfgal98's picture

I have seen several interviews with Chase Iron Eyes and have found him to be not only articulate about tribal issues, but a great advocate of the bigger corporatist and environmental issues facing us all. He is the one person I look forward to hearing from the most among the Water Protectors. He does not sugar coat it, but seems to be speaking from the heart.

I am very sad to see that Jordan Chariton has been reassigned to cover another venue. Jordan has been the most consistent journalist and advocate for the Standing Rock Sioux and against the DAPL pipeline. With Jordan, we have gotten an on the ground, nitty gritty reports that do not paper over the real challenges that the Water Protectors have been facing. Not only that, but in his interviews with Water Protectors, Jordan allows them to tell their story with dignity. I am going to miss his reports.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Lookout's picture

from Standing Rock. I think he said he was headed for the pecos pipeline in TX so we may get an even more expanded view.

All the best to you gg. So glad we got some rain in our part of the world!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Land of the Free?

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also don't hear "it's a free country" and "America is a classless society."

And I now the answer why you don't hear these slogans and I am not alone.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

TheOtherMaven's picture

outside of Francis Scott Key's sentimental maunderings? (The man was a colossal hypocrite, like most citizens south of the Mason-Dixon line and not a few north of it.)

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

freedom-like choices that has disappeared and the reality has come to the surface.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Bisbonian's picture

Wes Clark Jr. addressed a bunch of us vets in a field just south of Cannonball, ND. He told us that in negotiations with the Morton County Sheriff, he had agreed to pull back the barricade at 1600 (4pM). In return, the vets would not conduct any direct action at the barricade that day, as a "show of good faith".

It was about 3:45 that afternoon that the announcement was made that the Corps of Engineers had denied the permit. Apparently, the agreement over the barricade was immediately forgotten.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

blazinAZ's picture

What I heard at the time was that the cops agreed to pull back from being stationed directly behind the barricade -- and they have done that. But they're right over the hill, and as I mentioned the bridge is under 24-hour surveillance and some people say there are snipers but I can't confirm that.

What's interesting when you watch different videos of interactions across the razor wire is that the cops regularly tell the water protectors that they (the protectors) are "violating the agreement." It seems that the cops have the idea that the protectors agreed never to be on the bridge ever again, but I don't recall anything like that. Did you hear anything to that effect when you were there, Bisbonian?

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

Bisbonian's picture

And no, there was no agreement to "never be at the bridge again." There was an agreement to not be at the barrier the evening of the 4th, IF they moved it back. My understanding was that they would move it off the road, opening a state highway back up to allow much needed passage to Bismarck.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Alligator Ed's picture

You know to protect those poor police who occasionally have to get out of their warm vehicles and shoo the peaceful water protectors from the Sacred Sites of Big Oil. You never know when one of them vicious savages is going to break into prayer, so a rubber bullet in the head will teach the upstart to keep mouth shut. Or, in the words of Andy Jackson: "the only good Indian is a dead Indian".

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snoopydawg's picture

The only thing that they accomplished was the statement from the ACOE.
Now it's business as usual and people can't get anywhere near the construction.
Heck of a job, Barack. You have done what you were selected to do.
Shut down the anti war protests. Let the war and bank criminals off. Continuing PNAC's goals in the middle east, but thank gawd you didn't get the TPP passed.
Your legacy of being the first Black president elected is only going to be that.
You have done nothing to help main stream Americans and have given the corporations and the MICC more power.
Your legacy is going to be What a wasted 8 years!

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Bisbonian's picture

some will go back. I rearranged my work schedule to go, and I won't get another opportunity for a while, but am already planning to go back.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

blazinAZ's picture

He posted an eloquent blog about why he was joining the self-deployment to Standing Rock, but I haven't seen anything from him since.

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

solublefish's picture

A private profit-seeking corporation which lacks the permit for drilling is freely violating the law to steal a march on other people's land and recklessly endanger the water and food source of the local population. In order to protect the ability of this lawless corporation to rape the land and endanger the welfare of the people, a militarized police force has mounted a military-style occupation of land. This is not "business", this is colonization.

Corporations and their lackeys are turning the US into a third world country. And where are the American people? Where the f*ck are the people of Bismarck, and why aren't they moving against this? Land of the free, home of the brave?

First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out...

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originally headed, said "No" and the pipeline was rerouted to its present route. That seems to be the end of it for the Bismarkatoonians.

I've read that there's been a significant pipeline rupture in ND that was allowed to get worse when the fail-safe equipment and protocols failed.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

solublefish's picture

Of course you are right. I think they are morally culpable for that (and I think Pastor Niemöller would agree).

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blazinAZ's picture

This letter was sent on December 13, demanding the removal of the blockade. At the beginning of the video (3:14), there is a brief image of the letter, but I can't find it online. The video, however, has a voice-over that reads the entire letter, and it is accompanied by very recent drone footage, which shows how close the blockade is to the camps.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXZBucO8yXQ&feature=youtu.be]

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

solublefish's picture

Great video, too. Makes it much easier to visualize the situation than the ground-level footage from the barricades. Looks cold! I hope everyone is managing the weather OK, I know it must be tough.

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elenacarlena's picture

Lord, how I love that Time magazine cover! If only. Sigh.

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