title: jury finds all oregon standoff defendants not guilty of federal conspiracy gun charges
text: indian country  by theresa braine 
  more details are emerging about yesterdays police action on highway  about three miles from the cannonball river commencing shortly before noon a large contingent of heavily armed officers worked to clear a route for dakota access oil pipeline dapl trenches in a relentless push that resulted in numerous instances of violent confrontations culminating in the seizure of the newly established treaty camp and removal of a number of tents tipis and sweat lodges 
  the morton county sheriffs department said that  people had been arrested and that at least one bullet had been fired from the frontlines 
  officers met violence and resistance including a protester who fired a gun at officers in the police line protesters who threw molotov cocktails at them and set vehicles and debris on fire the sheriffs office said in a post on facebook  
  an ap news story cites state spokesperson cecily wong describing a woman who drew a  caliber pistol and firing three times at officers an account disputed by activists and not recorded on any of the onthescene video or live feeds currently circulating 
  however tribal law enforcement apprehended a heavilyarmed man crouched in a creek with apparent connections to a private security firm hired by dapls builders the standing rock sioux tribe posted a description of the incident on its facebook page  a man was apprehended carrying an assault rifle with papers indicating he was employed by a private security firm according to the standing rock sioux tribe 
  as reported via video evidence from the front lines on  a man bearing an assault rifle broke thru a barricade and was speeding toward the oceti sakowin camp he was run off the road  mile north from the camp the man exited the vehicle where he appeared to be disguised as a water protector he than fired several shots from his assault rifle tribal law enforcement responded the man was then apprehended insurance documents from the vehicle reveal that it is owned by dakota access pipeline we commend the bia law enforcement to their commitment of public safety and for their quick response and apprehension of the suspect who was clearly meaning to do harm 
  a statement by the camp of the sacred stones one of three prayer camps set up near the standing rock sioux reservation catalogued exactly how the unarmed protectors were met by lots of firepower over  police officers in riot gear  atvs  armored vehicles  helicopters and numerous militarygrade humvees showed up north of the newly formed frontline camp just east of highway  the  treaty camp was set up this past sunday directly in the path of the pipeline on land recently purchased by dapl today this camp a reclamation of unceded lakota territory affirmed as part of the standing rock reservation in the ft laramie treaty of  was violently cleared both blockades established this past weekend to enable that occupation were also cleared 
  at least one sniper atop a humvee scanned the crowd of protectors people and horses were shot at with beanbag guns noise concussion devices were used and fireextinguishersized canisters of tear gas and mace were deployed police used pepper spray and mace liberally photo savannah joefacebook 
  standing rock sioux chairman david archambault ii blasted the use of force the continued construction and the numerous violations of civil and human rights 
  we have repeatedly seen a disproportionate response from law enforcement to water protectors nonviolent exercise of their constitutional rights he said in a statement today we have witnessed people praying in peace yet attacked with pepper spray rubber bullets sound and concussion cannons we urge state and federal government agencies to give this tense situation their immediate and close attention 
  he noted that dapl parent company energy transfer partners had completely ignored the request by the administration of president barack obama to voluntarily halt construction while the legal issues raised by the tribe were resolved 
  by deploying law enforcement to support dapl construction the state of north dakota is collaborating with energy transfer partners and escalating tensions archambault said we need our state and federal governments to bring justice and peace to our lands not the force of armored vehicles 
  archambault urged everyone who supports standing rocks efforts to divert or halt the pipeline to remain peaceful and prayerful and not resort to violence or lash out in anger 
  any act of violence hurts our cause and is not welcome here he said we invite all supporters to join us in prayer that ultimately the right decisionthe moral decisionis made to protect our people our sacred places our land and our resources we wont step down from this fight as peoples of this earth we all need water this is about our water our rights and our dignity as human beings 
  firsthand accounts bore stark witness to the events as they happened via facebook live feeds social media posts and other dispatches from the front lines 
  dallas goldtooth organizer of the keep it in the ground movement with the indigenous environmental network posted updates throughout the day 
  president obama had asked that work stop within  miles of river yet national guard were used to clear the way for yesterdays police sweep  dapl construction he wrote dapl security forces were part of the invasion they had armed men with ar and had malicious intent to sneak into the camp 
  he said that men and women had been pulled out of a sweat lodge ceremony at gunpoint 
  the similarities to wounded knee cannot be ignored there was potential last night to turn a peaceful protest into a major tragedy he wrote 
  goldtooth also contrasted such treatment of unarmed water protectors with the acquittal on the same day of the armed militia who took over malheur wildlife refuge 
  the racial undertones of yesterdays actions cannot be ignored goldtooth wrote armed white men stand off against police in oregon acquitted unarmed water protectors in north dakota concussion grenades rubber bullets and batons 
  he said that north dakota polices characterization of them as armed vigilantes was patently false jesus wagner was shot in the face with a rubber bullet photo facebook 
  the only weapons on site yesterday were in the hands of militarized police he wrote assault rifles snipers concussion grenades batons etc 
  the harm was not limited to humans riders on horseback were also assaulted and one horse was killed 
  horseback riders were attacked by police on atvs resulting in one horse being hurt so severely that it had to be put down goldtooth said there were national guard humvees on site with snipers stationed on top 
  not even medical personnel were immune 
  they sprayed me with my hands up and my back to them with all my medic markings clearly showing they sprayed me head to toe said one man in a facebook post by the standing rock medic  healer council they pointed shotguns at me they pointed shotguns at my back while i was treating patients 
  jon eagle sr tribal historic preservation officer of the standing rock sioux tribe spoke of the heartbreak 
  my heart hurts he said on facebook because of the actions of a few many people were hurt today people were shot with rubber bullets and beanbags they used pepper spray percussion grenades and sound cannons numerous arrests i cant believe what i witnessed today and its still going on prayers for the protectors tonight 
  there were uplifting moments as well as the conflict escalated a woman yelled at everyone to look at the buffalo 
  we all turned to the east to see a herd of buffalo come charging eagle said behind them were young warriors on horse back police in atvs charged after them there were shots fired the young men rode through the line of atvs and made their get away a war cry went up from the crowd im proud to say we are still the greatest light cavalry in the world 
  many activists and protectors used social media to describe feelings of nausea lightheadedness and sickness after returning to the camps near standing rock and also this morning as a new uncertain day dawned on the plains 
  read more at httpindiancountrytodaymedianetworkcomconflictingaccountsemergeaftertreatycamppoliceaction