Army veterans return to Standing Rock to stand with Native Americans in their protest against the Dakota Access pipeline.

Courtesy of The Guardian:  

US veterans are returning to Standing Rock and pledging to shield indigenous activists from attacks by a militarized police force, another sign that the fight against the Dakota Access pipeline is far from over. 

Army veterans from across the country have arrived in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, or are currently en route after the news that Donald Trump’s administration has allowed the oil corporation to finish drilling across the Missouri river.

The growing group of military veterans could make it harder for police and government officials to try to remove hundreds of activists who remain camped near the construction site and, some hope, could limit use of excessive force by law enforcement during demonstrations. 

“We are prepared to put our bodies between Native elders and a privatized military force,” said Elizabeth Williams, a 34-year-old air force veteran, who arrived at Standing Rock with a group of vets late on Friday. “We’ve stood in the face of fire before. We feel a responsibility to use the skills we have.”

Well this is going to make it substantially difficult for the local police to bully these protesters and stomp on their civil rights. 

It also presents a real challenge for the Trump administration.

After all how can they stand arm in arm with their corporate buddies when that might mean seeing military veterans dragged away in handcuffs because they were exercising their constitutional right to protest?

Army Corps of Engineers denies easement for Dakota pipeline.

Courtesy of NBC 4 Washington:

The secretary of the Army Corps of Engineers has told Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault that the current route for the Dakota Access pipeline will be denied. 

The proposed route led to a protest encampment by the Standing Rock Sioux and other activists. 

The 1,172-mile pipeline is nearly complete except for a small section beneath a Missouri River reservoir near the encampment, which is about 50 miles south of Bismarck.

Archambault cheered the decision in a statement Sunday. 

"I am thankful there were some leaders in the federal government that realized something was not right even though its legal," he said. "For the first time in history native American, they heard our voices. This is something that will go down in history and is a blessing for all indigenous people.

Well, that is great news for these protesters, who were joined today by a group of veterans. (Gee, I wonder if that had anything to do with this decision?)

However, it should be noted that if there is an appeal after Donald Trump takes office this decision can be reversed.

And don't forget Trump has an investment in this company and stands to benefit financially if the pipeline is completed.