Federal court hearing on Dakota Access Pipeline draws hundreds to protest

On the 24th of August, US District Court at 333 Constitution Ave heard the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's lawsuit against the US Army Corps of Engineers over the Dakota Access Pipeline. Outside hundreds protested as speakers alternated with drumming and singing. As this case was being heard, construction at the site where protesters are blocking the pipeline in North Dakota has been halted pending resolution of this and several other legal cases. Dozens have been arrested there, but a hearing set (in another case)for August 25 on an injunction to limit protest and direct action at the pipeline site was cancelled in light of the construction halt.

One of the speakers at the rally stated that the lies about rifles and "pipe bombs" at the protest camp being spewed by Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier may have originated when someone overheard the words "get the pipe" referring to the sacred pipe used in Lakota ceremonies. There is also the curious nature of false allegations about "pipe bombs" coming from police who fight to defend an actual pipe (that could leak or explode) from the people.

Video featuring speaker who has been at Sacred Stone Camp for 2 1/2 weeks and seen no violence from activists at all