I'm sure most of my readers are aware of demonstrations in South Dakota against a proposed oil pipeline. It seems that some of the protesters aren't as 'peaceful' as they make themselves out to be.
As a journalist, I decided it was time for some tough questions. Most of the protesters were from out of state. So how did they square the circle of using vehicles driven by oil to protest an oil pipeline? Their tents were also made of plastic — an oil-based product. Was that not hypocritical, I asked? Some denied this, others complained capitalism made them do it, and others just walked away.
But by the fourth interview the mood turned.
A young man claiming to be “security” came up and grabbed my microphone. I wouldn’t let go. He dragged me across the field — just for asking questions.
But worse was to follow, as my crew and I fled to our car.
When we tried to drive off, we were surrounded by cars and people. Two trucks blocked our way forward, and another pulled up tight behind. We couldn’t move. These weren’t grandmothers burning sage. They were angry, young masked men banging on the windows — threatening to slash our tires, demanding we exit the vehicle. Some warned that if we didn’t get out and hand over our footage then “we can’t control what’s gonna happen next.”
As we tried to call the police, they warned that the cops wouldn’t come onto the campsite — they hadn’t yet after two months of protests. I’m an Irish nationalist who grew up under British rule in Ireland, but according to those attacking my car I was “part of the problem with my settler mentality.”
Then they started shaking the car. That was when it became really scary. We were in the middle of North Dakota with very poor cellphone service and trying to call 911 was proving difficult.
Eventually, the police arrived. Speaking afterwards at a press conference the police lieutenant explained there were just a dozen police against up to 40 attackers. A SWAT team had been alerted, but they were still on their way.
Finally, after six requests on a police loudspeaker and warnings they would be charged with kidnapping, the protesters removed the vehicles blocking our path, opened the gates and allowed us to leave.
Don’t listen to reports that this is some kind of touchy-feely sage-sniffing lovefest. These were thugs who hated journalists asking tough questions.
There's more at the link.
This is the same thing we're seeing with 'Black Lives Matter' protests. The professionals are taking over, using any and every grievance they can get their hands on and turning it into a far-left-wing, ultra-progressive, Marxist/Leninist/Maoist onslaught against the roots of the society in which we live. Their version of 'peace' is that everyone agrees with them. If you don't, if you ask awkward questions and try to bring facts into the discussion, then they become a whole lot less peaceful.
I'd like to see them try that in this part of the world. (One of them did, some years ago, and ran into Lawdog. He learned the hard way that things are different here.)
Peter
8 comments:
I'm surprised that the Dakotas are putting up with it as much as they are; normally they are no nonsense as well (though not quite so much as Texas).
There are many things the media is not saying about the protests - like the fact that the occupiers are trespassing on private property, that the tribe previously approved the pipeline during a dozen meetings, that the pipeline parallels existing pipelines and transmission lines, and several other 'inconvenient' facts.
North Dakota. And it's not proposed, it's being laid now. The protesters are blocking construction.
ttl
Strikes me that any news agency that isn't a rubber stamp for the far left narrative needs to seriously consider adding a security component to their field teams, preferably unobtrusively armed with perhaps an off duty LEO on retainer to ensure any altercations are properly documented.
Left wing activists are all bullies and cowards, counting on shear numbers to intimidate and control access. Met with credible force they will crumble and slink away.
The pipeline is going across Iowa and construction has already started. A incident in August and another in October has seen close to 5 million dollars damage done to construction equipment. Nothing says tree hugger like a couple of cases of arson.
thanks. didn't know outside agitators were involved. gives anyone with a legitimate complaint a black eye.
thanks j. h. had no idea it was an agreed contract.
Also, from tbe same reporter, the work is in an EXISTING PIPELINE RIGHT OF WAY. There are no "Sacred Lands", or burial grounds involved. It's a criminal Indian element wanting to stir the excrement up. A pity, as much legitimate crap the Indians have to be pissed over, to be used by these Anarchists.
Had some interaction with these people at the Mississippi river crossing point. Along with your usual herd of filthy hippies you had a contingent of professional Marxist agitators from Catholic Worker Movement. They and related catholic charities are also big players on aiding illegals and Muslims in the country. More diverse kids for the priests to diddle I guess. Also had some militant indians (feather not dot) who wore masks a lot. Just a filthy bunch of people. Literally dirty.
They cleared out just in time because a large group of locals were sick of their antics. Sick of having to pay to incarcerate them after they got arrested, sick of the overtime it was costing the sheriff's office and sick of the mollycoddling they were getting from the sheriff's office and county, sick of their behavior on the public roads and rights of way. They were gonna leave one way or another.
While most people had sympathy and support for landowners who were treated unfairly during the process of building the pipeline a lot of that was lost when these outside agitators showed up.
Interestingly they were bitching about a pipeline being run under the river when up and down river there were pipelines that had been running under it for decades with no issues. They also went into pant shitting hysterics when river mud and water was dumped for fill in an old borrow pit. They were concerned that the water from the river might contaminate the river. Ironically their interference with the project also resulted in delays and extra work which required much more evil deadly fuel to be burned.
SOME of the protestors are peaceful, a small handful that actually live in the area. Many of them are not. The ones who aren't peaceful primarily come from out of state. Over 90% of those arrested are like Presidential candidate Jill Stein, out of state agitators just looking for publicity. Blocking highways, burning tires and equipment, throwing molotov cocktails and shooting at officers now encompasses 'peaceful protesting' according to most of the mainstream media.
My mother's side of the family homesteaded in that area just outside St. Anthony. My grandfather was Sheriff of Morton County when I was a little tyke. One of my best friends from high school is currently a Morton County deputy. Several of my friends, including the husband of my daughter's sitter, have been sent out there to help Morton Co. SO.
About the only construction left in ND is crossing the Missouri River. I hear Obama is now saying he wants it re-routed. He should be held personally responsible for any/all costs of re-routing it.
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