Hundreds gather to support Sioux
N.D. tribe is trying to stop construction of a pipeline under Missouri River
More than 300 people gathered along the Annapolis Harbor on a sunny Saturday afternoon to show their support for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe of North Dakota.
The Standing Rock Sioux and several other tribes and protesters have been camped out near Cannon Ball, N.D., since April to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline from going under the Missouri River, the tribe’s only source of drinking water.
Supporters from across Maryland marched alongside Native American residents and environmentalists from the Chesapeake Bay up to the state Capitol chanting the anti-pipeline slogan, “Mni Wiconi, Water is life” and “You can’t drink oil! Keep it in the soil!” as several bystanders clapped in support.
One of the marchers, Barry Wilson of Charles County, wore a baseball hat denoting his tribe, the Piscataway, and said the gathering was giving him inspiration to travel to North Dakota.
“You have to stand for the Native,” he said. “Like everything else, if you don’t stick together and do what’s right, the politicians will continue to do what they were going to do.”
Tamara Michaelson, 47, of Annapolis marched with her 13-year-old daughter, Aaralyn. She said she found out about the pipeline originally from an indigenous friend who lives in Nebraska and has been following it on Facebook ever since.
“I don’t know if we can stop it at this point,” Michaelson said, “But the more people who know, the more people will start to fight it.”
She said the recent presidential election of Donald Trump brought “tears and terror” to her and other activists, but she’s hopeful that President Obama might be able to stop the pipeline before he leaves office.
An administration official on Friday told Politico that “the process is ongoing and no decisions have been made.” The pipeline is a project of the Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners.
Walking behind Michaelson was Kate Brown, 47, of Wheaton, who brought four members of her family. She said she’s of indigenous origin from New Zealand and calls the pipeline “an issue that is very resonant for us.”
Cristi Demnowicz, an anti-corruption activist and founder of Represent Maryland, was one of the organizers of the march. She said she was one of “hundreds” across the country who responded to a video Standing Rock posted on Facebook asking for supporters to help fight for them.
“If we want to make sure everyone has safe water, we need to start fighting now,” Demnowicz said.
Maryland had issues with a broken pipeline 16 years ago. On April 7, 2000, the Piney Point oil pipeline failed near the Pepco generating station in southeastern Prince George’s County. More than 140,000 gallons of fuel spilled into Swanson Creek, and later, the Patuxent River. The spill killed hundreds of animals, devastated waterdependent businesses and cost more than $70 million to clean up, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.