40 Police in Riot Gear Order Five Unarmed Praying Water Protectors to Stop Praying

[G_j]

http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/forty-police-riot-gear-order-five-unarmed-praying-water-protectors-stop-praying-leave-get-arrestedc/


FORTY POLICE IN RIOT GEAR ORDER FIVE UNARMED PRAYING WATER PROTECTORS TO STOP PRAYING AND LEAVE OR GET ARRESTED

CANNON BALL, NORTH DAKOTA– Five unarmed Native American anti-Bakken Dakota Access Pipeline protestors praying on the side of the road were given five minutes to stop praying and leave or face arrest by over 40 police officers from at least eight departments in three states. Officers had an armored vehicle, acoustic weapon, riot gear, automatic weapons, and batons.

Water Protectors, a group of Native Americans and their allies lead by the Standing Rock Sioux working to defeat the Bakken Dakota Access Pipeline, sat down on the shoulder of a public road to pray after the voluntary end of a larger protest.

The prayer lasted approximately 10 minutes. As they prayed the police continued to garner more forces. Police forces started at about 30 officers with no armored vehicles and swelled up to 40 officers with an armored vehicle.

Video taken at the scene shows the continued influx of officers.

A single officer approached the group and told the men they had five minutes to stop praying and leave or face arrest because their prayers were considered an unlawful protest.

..more..

[Siwsan]

1. I have but two words: Ghost Dance

[geardaddy]

16. +1 million

It's like the PTB are itching for another Wounded Knee.

[yuiyoshida]

21. 5 Praying Water Protectors Confronted by 40 Riot Police & Armored Vehicle Standing Rock

[Siwsan]

24. I can't help but think about John Trudeau, right now.

And Russell Means, Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, Leonard Crow Dog, Mary Crow Dog, and so many, many others who gave so much to hold the government to the treaties. This is an infuriating example of history repeating itself. The government should be ashamed.

Anyone with a knowledge of the history of this part of the country understands the deeper significance of what is happening on Standing Rock, right now. I can only hope and pray for a just outcome, this time.

[csziggy]

2. WTF? Sue the bastards for infringing on violation of the First Amendment!

Of course, the pipeline company has already violated sacred grounds, treaties, and just about every other personal right so they won't care.

[blm]

3. Sad.

And corpmedia ignoring these stories is sadder, still.

[True Dough]

4. Not near enough coverage

Just the way the corporate-controlled media want it.

[True Earthling]

5. "sat down on the shoulder of a public road to pray"

The OP title is misleading IMO...I would guess the police were ordering them off the shoulder of the road because it's a safety hazard...the OP title makes it look looks like the LEO were anti-prayer or anti-Native American.

[G_j]

6. As we know, sitting by the side of a country road always

warrants armed police in riot gear to deal with the "safety hazard".

[True Earthling]

8. Agree - an overreaction..but if the protesters ignore an order to move then they are inviting

a confrontation. I also wonder if the author of the news story is exaggerating.

[angrychair]

7. Do you hear yourself?

5 people on the side of a country road warrants 40 heavily armed and armored officers and an armored vehicle as a response?
Right up there with the 5 foot tall, sickly old homeless women with a butter knife that was surrounded and gunned down by 10+ police officers.

[True Earthling]

10. Agree it's an overreaction by police..but I counted 20 LEO's in the video...not 40.

What are you referring to with the "5 foot tall, sickly old homeless women with a butter knife that was surrounded and gunned down by 10+ police officers."?

Do you have a link?

[angrychair]

12. the incident with the homeless woman

Happened a short while ago. There is a video. I'll have to dig through a Facebook group I'm on to find it...

[LanternWaste]

9. Alleging the title is inaccurate predicated wholly on your own "guesswork" seems to illustrate a bia

"I would guess..."

Alleging the title is inaccurate predicated wholly on your own "guesswork" seems to illustrate a bias.

[True Earthling]

11. Right.. it was a biased guess.

I wasn't there but praying and protesting are not against the law. However I believe trespassing or sitting on the shoulder of the road is against the law - agree? But looking at the video and the pics in the news story it looks more like a dirt access road so not sure what the legality is. Is it on public or private land..the article doesn't make it clear.

Also - I have to question the author's bias...it looks like the author is making an assumption about the LEO's justification for the arrest. He did not quote any LEO as saying it but makes the claim that praying is an unlawful form of protest. I'm extremely skeptical of this...

A single officer approached the group and told the men they had five minutes to stop praying and leave or face arrest because their prayers were considered an unlawful protest.

edit - the author stated it was a "public road" so there was a safety issue IMO. Not buying the anti-prayer claim.

[CrispyQ]

13. Regardless, 40 armed officers to ask 5 people to move?

LEO is looking for ways to intimidate.

[True Earthling]

19. I counted 20 in the video..how many would you suggest is reasonable?

I would say 2 LEO's per protester to make an arrest and more for crowd control. That's one of the aspects that we don't have information on. Was there a crowd of spectators there as well? And how many? Were they supporting the protesters?

Too many unknowns.

LEO is looking for ways to intimidate.

On the other side..protesters sometimes look for ways to instigate a confrontation - right?

[CrispyQ]

23. Yeah, when I want to instigate something, I sit by a road & pray.

Your concern for armed LEO forces is noted.

[True Earthling]

27. No one was arrested and the protesters left peacefully...

It's good that the protesters did not take it to a level that provoked police action. "Sit by the road and pray" sounds very innocent but if it's a safety issue the police are obligated to remove them. In this case the police were patient and gave the group 5 minutes to finish praying and it worked.

I have a concern for accurate reporting and a concern for both protesters and LEO and try not to be biased one way or the other until an analysis the available information compels me.

Depending on the circumstances and the situation I will call out wrong-doing on either side based on credible information presented...and will call bullshit when I see bullshit. IMO... it seems like the author of the news article was attempting to instigate it's readers by the anti-police tone to the story with misinformation and exaggeration.

[G_j]

28. What country do we live in?

I'm 65, and when I see the way the peaceful activists have been confronted by armed militarized police, attacked by dogs etc. I remember Selma.

your concern is noted..

[ancianita]

14. Jack Dalrymple, governor, needs to be mocked, stalked and driven out as the corporate tool he is.

It's not about what the forty are doing to the few.

It's about the one man who sent them there and should get them out of there,

[ffr]

15. The more Native American protest, the more I admire them.

Makes me feel shame for my heritage and having invaded their territories.

[ancianita]

17. Surround Jack Dalrymple's mansion until the governor answers to the nation! He is indefensible!

The North Dakota Governor's Residence is located at 1131 North 4th Street on the southwest corner of the North Dakota Capitol Grounds. The Residence can be seen on the corner of 4th Street and Boulevard Avenue in the State Capital of Bismarck.

[ailsagirl]

18. Those armed police need to be on guard November 9th and maybe forever afterward

Radically misplaced priorities.

Leave these people alone, for god's sake

[HAB911]

20. Religious Freedom in 'Murica

Native Americans, the only group I would support as terrorists, but they seem not to fit that category and are to be honored for it.

"Fighting Domestic Christian Terrorists Since 1492"

[ismnotwasm]

22. K&R

[Spitfire of ATJ]

25. Poll the cops to find out how many are voting for Trump.

[raven mad]

26. I have 3 dear friends there.