New Yorkers came together in solidarity with Standing Rock Water Protectors
On November 1, 2016, the diverse community of New York City came together in solidarity with Standing Rock. At 8am the crowd gathered in Grand Central Station; with the mission to expose the continuation of settler colonialism and state sanctioned violence against indigenous peoples. The protest also disrupted banks, such as Bank of America and JP Morgan, along their route “Because they are directly funding the genocide in Standing Rock. We want to give the message to the people that we want them to stop depositing their money into these banks. To put your money into these bank, is to put your money into the genocide of Native Americans and the pollution of our water that our life depends on” Abby Rojas explains.
Water contamination kills! This pipeline will destroy 200 rivers and our main source of water – our drinking water. Environmental degradation is the genocide of indigenous peoples! However, we must also recognize that this is also a struggle for Black liberation. What is happening in Flint, Michigan is “also part of colonization and genocide,” says Abby Rojas. Sage explains that “environmental issues always intersect with racism.” Colonialism remains an active project. The system is not broken – it unavoidably requires the oppression and exploitation of marginalized people – and it must be shut down. “The system perpetuates itself off of constantly creating crisis, it’s inherently unsustainable,” Sage says. “This is important to me because of my ancestors and what they fought for. We are protectors of Mother Earth and our future generations,” says Lorena, a community warrior. Sage adds “I came out here today obviously in solidarity. Being a woman of color who still has a level of privilege, I feel like it’s part of my responsibility to put my body out there whenever it’s needed.” We refuse to stand by as colonialism and genocide continues. Commit to resistance by coming out to Grand Central Station everyday at 6pm until November 10th.
The Dakota Access Pipeline has become a central part of the conversation regarding indigenous struggle.
On October 27 police in North Dakota terrorized the water protectors who have been protecting the water and sacred land from being destroyed by the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock. During the chaotic and violent actions from the police they shot an 18 year old boy, his horse, a child, and arrested violently an elderly woman they were convinced has a gun, but pictures clearly show she was holding a prayer stick. In total more than 107 people were arrested in dangerous and brutal ways. Some people were hit with batons, people were pulled out of their tents by their underwear, and many were maced.
This is not the first time police have messed with the peaceful protectors. There has already been other incidents. Rubber bullets flying over people’s heads, drones etc. all because of an oil pipeline. This is terrorism on sacred land on the original people and the people in general. This is modern day colonial terrorism that continues the never ending Native American genocide.
#BankOfAmerica #CorporateGreed #DakotaAccess #DakotaAccessPipeline #DefendTheSacred #demonstration #FossilFree #GrandCentral #indigenous #IndigenousRights #IndigenousRising #JPMorgan #KeepItIntheGround #mniwiconi #NoDAPL #NYC2StandingRock #PeacefulProtest #PeacefulResistance #Protest #ResistAIMpipeline #resistenciaindigena #ResistSpectra #Solidarity #StandingRock #StandWithStandingRock #StopSpectra #StopTheBlackSnake #WaterDefenders #WaterIsLife #WaterProtectors #weareallconnected
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