About 100 demonstrators gathered at the state Capitol in Bismarck Saturday – in a show of solidarity for those protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, near the Standing rock Reservation south of Mandan.
The protestors at the Capitol were there with a permit in hand, and they were determined to keep it peaceful. The organizer – Kirsten Kelsch of Bismarck – said they had a message to deliver.
“We aren’t going anyplace," Kelsch said in an interview. "We are going to stay strong through all the events going on. We want to keep our message clear – that we are here to protect the water. We’re here to protect our earth and our future.”
The Standing Rock tribe has been joined by a number of tribes throughout the nation – as well as other environmental activists. Arlene Poitra is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. She’s from Mandan.
“When are we going to start with the renewables in this country?" said Arlene Poitra of Mandan, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. "We’re always talking about it. But they keep investing more and more in fossil fuels. It’s time to stop.”
Protests at the pipeline site have, at times, been heated. And since it began, more than 400 have been arrested. Some tribal leaders have complained about the police presence. But at the Saturday event, things remained peaceful.
Darcy Peterson of Bismarck held a mock-up of the American flag – in blue and white. She said it was in honor of law enforcement.
“It’s something I believe in," Peterson said. "It’s my right to be here, just as it’s their right. We’re all here for what we believe in.”
Kelsch said they plan to stand with the protestors – as long as it takes.
“We need to remember this is everybody’s issue," Kelsch said. "It doesn’t matter what color you are, what race you are, what part of the world you’re in – it really impacts everyone. We all depend on the water, and the life that comes from the water.”
