News Release
Indigenous Environmental Network
There was an unprecedented amount of action on the frontlines of the Line 3 pipeline this week. As Enbridge continued drilling under rivers across the state, water protectors took action to delay construction at five different water crossings.
A summary of last week’s major happenings in the movement to stop Line 3:
- Water protectors at Red Lake Treaty Camp consistently disrupted drilling at the Red Lake River by climbing on top of machinery and chaining themselves to construction equipment. Police presence and retaliation near the camp escalated over the week. On Friday police arrested more than 20 Indigenous water protectors and allies during a sunrise ceremony and shut down the only road leading into the camp.
- At the Shell River, over 40 water protectors including Indigenous matriarchs and Horse Nations youth risked arrest to delay construction. Winona LaDuke was among 7 arrested for taking action. (Watch an interview with her on Democracy Now!)
- The Giniw Collective led nonviolent direct action to delay construction at three different rivers. Water protectors chained themselves to horizontal directional drills (HDDs) at the Shell River and the Crow Wing River. Water protectors also climbed into the pipeline, halting construction at the Willow River drill site.
- As water protectors were holding space at the headwaters of the Mississippi River, they discovered another “frac-out” from Line 3 construction as drilling mud and chemicals seeped into the water.
- A Minnesota court granted a temporary restraining order sought by Indigenous water protectors, including Tara Houska and Winona LaDuke, against Hubbard County. The court order will end a weeks-long blockade the Sheriff had established around the Giniw Collective’s camp.
About Indigenous Environmental Network
Established in 1990, The Indigenous Environmental Network is an international environmental justice nonprofit that works with tribal grassroots organizations to build the capacity of Indigenous communities. Indigenous Environmental Network’s activities include empowering Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, the health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.
Learn more here: ienearth.org
