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Negotiations between DAPL protestors and law enforcement are 'at an impasse'

Amy Sisk
/
Prairie Public/Inside Energy

Morton County sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said so far, Dakota Access Pipeline protestors have refused to remove roadblocks on a Morton County road, and have refused to leave a new camp north of the original Spirit Camp.

That new camp is on land now owned by the developers of the pipeline. Law enforcement approached the protestors, asking them to return to the main encampment, but protestors refused.

"Basically, we came to a standstill, or impasse," Kirchmeier told reporters. He said he plans to continue his efforts to try and convince the protestors to move.

"There is no timetable to this," Kirchmeier said. "But we want to make sure this will end peacefully, and no one gets hurt. That's the number one concern."

In an earlier statement, Energy Transfer Partners – the developers of the pipeline – said they would push for prosecution of the protestors if they don’t voluntarily leave the new encampment.

Meanwhile, civil rights leader Re. Jesse Jackson visited the protestors Wednesday.

Jackson told protestors he took a break from campaigning for Hillary Clinton to be at the protest, and pray with them. And he told them he will be back.

"We will stand together, and pray together, and protest together, educate together, and go to jail together," Jackson said.

Jackson also said people involved in non-violent protests must be embraced, and their cause must be understood.

The Federal Aviation Administration has banned aircraft from flying over the area surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp. The FAA has issued what's called a "temporary flight restriction" for all aircraft up to 4,000 feet. The FAA says the "no fly zone" has a 7-mile radius and will be in effect until Nov. 4th.

Last weekend, someone shot arrows and used a drone to fly dangerously close to a law enforcement helicopter that was used to observe the protest along Highway 1806.

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