Dogs And Pepper Spray Discharged On Native Americans Protesting North Dakota Pipeline

Dakota Access Pipeline
People protesting the construction on a four-state oil pipeline at a site in southern North Dakota gather at campground near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. About 300 people were at the campsite where protesters from across the country and members of 60 tribes have gathered in opposition to the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline that will pass through Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota and South Dakota. James MacPherson / Associated Press
Dakota Access Pipeline
People protesting the construction on a four-state oil pipeline at a site in southern North Dakota gather at campground near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. About 300 people were at the campsite where protesters from across the country and members of 60 tribes have gathered in opposition to the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline that will pass through Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota and South Dakota. James MacPherson / Associated Press

Dogs And Pepper Spray Discharged On Native Americans Protesting North Dakota Pipeline

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

On Saturday, security guards for the Dakota Access pipeline company discharged dogs and pepper spray on a group of Native American protesters attempting to block the digging for a near $4 billion energy pipeline (DAPL) in Standing Rock, North Dakota. 

The demonstrators set up camp last April in defiance of the pipeline they claim will cause catastrophic environmental damage to their lands and drinking water. They also claim it would disturb ancient burial grounds. 

A federal judge has ordered a temporary and partial stop to construction. We discuss the potential environmental dangers, the protests, the viral campaign #NoDAPL, and how Illinois could be affected. Al Eastman is a Native American ecologist and spokesperson for the group Chicago in Solidarity with Standing Rock.