Standing Rock Resources

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Reportback from Standing Rock

  • The original pipeline was to lay north of Bismarck, but the residents didn’t want it that close; instead, it was placed “most efficiently” through the vulnerable land of the native people.
    • North Dakota = Mississippi of the north
  • you can be helpful without getting arrested by camp involvement: help in kitchen; cut wood; pick up trash; help build structures; etc.
  • plan to be self-sufficient! (weather-wise, food-wise, camping-wise, etc.)
  • press gets targeted!
  • LRAD (Long range audio devices) is in use — sonic assault on auditory systems that can be painful and cause hearing damage with prolonged, unprotected exposure
  • front lines — have ear and eye protection!! wear wind protection!!
  • NO children on the front lines
  • Trump wants to open all pipelines — this is just the beginning!
  • people feel they’re jumping in at the middle of this, but if this presidential term reigns as promised, this is just the beginning of the movement…
  • leave behind: oversensitivity; anger; ego
  • this is our time to say we will no longer be selfish at the cost of our future generations!
  • all of us are indigenous to this planet!
  • This is a survival story
  • This is a feminine movement (started with teenage girls running for awareness of the pipeline)
  • Take your money out of the banks!
  • Free your mind of thinking we have to be part of this broken system
  • filming: no prayers; no ceremonies; no children; no people without asking
  • get a press pass via the media tent on “Facebook Hill” by the law tent
  • don’t take it personally: let it go if someone doesn’t want you to photograph them; say thank you
  • end of September/beginning of October:
    • camps were full
    • people were caravanning with 80-120 car caravans to work sites and slowing/stopping work
  • most every action was well attended and well executed; the ones that didn’t have large numbers, many arrests were made
  • agricultural plane sprayed people at one action with chemicals
  • going to camp in general, not just the front lines, there is a risk of arrest
  • be mindful of threat of law enforcement in surrounding states: if you get pulled over and your destination is revealed, there is risk of a heightened response
  • they have weaponized drones; they have planes; they have flashbang grenades; guns; military vehicles; armed forces; bean bag launchers; rubber bullets; etc.
  • they are purposefully keeping people on edge/sleep deprived by flying planes 24 hours a day and heightening noise from aircrafts dawn to mid-morning and dusk to late night
  • the one night it was quiet from planes and helicopters was the night the fires burned on the hillside

once the bridge was taken with the north camp (October 27th), people were cut off from the worksite and had a bridge between

  • what’s happened has happened; now, we must move forward
  • what are our goals? what actions can we take to make those dreams a reality?
  • police vehicles have been parked upon sacred burials of two highly respected women beloved by the community
  • we need to fight against the systems of power and profit, but we also need to begin to build new sustainable systems so we can totally abandon the systems in place
  • we need to hold ourselves, each other, the community, and the world to higher standards of care for the earth, the people, and sustainable systems
  • besides the physical tools and weapons, we’re up against the largest propaganda machine known to man
  • public opinion hasn’t condoned civil disobedience, but public opinion also hasn’t had a direct presence at Standing Rock and hasn’t witnessed the full truth of the earth/people treatment

Front Line Activity

  • no expectations
  • let go of the ego
  • ask questions respectfully
  • be mindful that while there are chaos-ready cops, there ARE good cops, too
  • the police don’t practice peace; help them learn
  • women protectors—be aware and cautious
  • wash supplies prior to drop off
  • be prepared to have a different job everyday
  • ask yourself: “Am I arrestable?” (professional affiliations; ethnicity; gender identity)

Two Main Camps:

  • Sacred Stone — original camp on LaDonna’s private land within reservation borders that is prayer only and fairly structured with many rules (about people)
  • Oceti Sikowan — on an exposed flood plain that will make winterization difficult; on Army Corps of Engineer’s land for which a permit was obtained to be present (about 5000 people strong)

How to Work With Indigenous Communities with Humility and Respect [MUST READ]

Richie:

  • honor and thank!
  • be incredibly aware of the land; mother earth is mother to all of us, but these lands are the sacred physical to the Lakota people (don’t place your feet places they may not belong)
  • ask questions before just engaging: don’t offer prayers or gifts (tobacco, etc.) to the Sacred Fire unless it’s a welcome time to do so
  • whatever you’re there to do, make sure it’s not for your own ego: be there for the WATER

Camille:

  • remember humility; remember respect
  • do NOT bring ANY substances; RESPECT the potential presence of depression/suicide/substance abuse

you are going to visit with a people who are on their land that is perpetually under threat of being reduced

  • ask to be part of Inipi/sweat ceremonies; they are beautiful and in ways prepare you to struggle through the overwhelm you may experience within the camps and front line
  • attend sun ceremonies at sunrise
    • for the Lakota people, basking in the rays of the sun is as important and sacred as taking in food and water
  • in our culture here, we do what we want and apologize later
    • there, apologize for not knowing first and then ASK
  • you represent your entire community when you’re there

Hartman:

  • this movement was started by leaders that had the courage to stand up: respect native leaders!
  • don’t try to come in and be a leader
    • come in and ask what you can do/how you can help
  • if you’re dividing the people, if you’re not there to help, if you can’t follow the elders’ lead: don’t come
  • stop and listen; take heed of the leadership
  • moving forward with your actions, remember that even when you move on with your lives or travel back home, these people will still be at Standing Rock
  • how will your actions today continue to impact members of the community and relationships within that community for years to come?
  • when you leave, the tribe will still be there
  • you will see homophobia, racism, and other discrimination that are a taught/learned part of the people many places with Standing Rock being no exception — try to look at these things as scars: they’re not pretty, but they’re painful things that have been inflicted upon the people that will take a much longer time than you're allotted to heal
  • be your BEST self!

Dixie:

  • plug in with Ohlone people: in the Bay or at Standing Rock
  • listen more than you speak
  • attempt to direct non-native questions to non-native allies that are aware of the facts; don’t over burden the camp
  • challenge all of the ways we perpetuate settler colonization, here and there; we can only help if we’re helping to dismantle settler colonialism
  • to be encountered/challenged:
    • Entitlement
    • Defensiveness
    • avatar/white warrior syndrome
    • rainbow warrior vision
  • we have to change how we’re getting in touch with the Standing Rock community by asking where the direction is coming from
  • encourage learning
  • Question why you’re going!
    • (If you live in the Bay Area, check in with Berkeley Shellmound!! Ohlone burial ground set to be dug up for an underground parking structure)

Notes and Handouts

Logistics

  • Prepare to be 100% self-sufficient in temperatures as low as -20°F and winds up to 70mph.
  • If you’re driving, go through South Dakota
  • If you fly into Bismarck, you will be rerouted onto Highway 6 rather than staying on 1806/24
  • Do a drive/walk through the camps to figure out what community fits you best
  • Be aware that Sacred Stone has many rules to be observed
  • Sacred Stone is for prayer
  • Rose Bud or Oceti will be host to much larger energy
  • Head up to legal tent and fill out the forms: these will help tremendously if you get arrested
  • Head up to media tent if you plan on having ANY recording devices on you, so you can get a pass to do so—be mindful of how you may be differently perceived within camp by water warriors and by police forces on the front lines
  • Bring tobacco for offerings!!

Rideshares

Donations

Maps

Direct Action

  • BE PREPARED TO BE UNPREPARED
  • BE PREPARED FOR A POTENTIALLY CHAOTIC AND VIOLENT ENVIRONMENT
  • direct action theory:
    • political action that is immediately effective
    • action that is outside the system
    • usually raises tension and conflict for the state
    • usually effective at numerous levels
    • puts muscle behind current demands and strengthens those demands
    • operates beneath surface by disempowering the opponent/system
    • in disempowering the systems in place, we’re empowering ourselves
  • arrestability comes in two forms:
    • ready to get arrested
    • planning on getting arrested
  • going into Standing Rock, be prepared for the actions to already be planned
  • very important to go into direct action context with the understanding that it’s almost never about winning in that moment
  • direct action distracts people from perpetuating current, broken systems
  • they must divert resources to stop the disturbance and reconfigure the system
  • these are victories!
  • de-escalation of violence is often key
    • mitigate force to be dynamic and move cohesively elsewhere
    • the goal is to be able to “keep playing the game”
    • direct action does not seek to use overwhelming force

police roles

  • what are the police there to do? what behaviors can we expect from them based on their goals?
    • traditional roles:
      • to contain and isolate
      • targeted arrest (people perceived as leaders, vulnerable, or of a specific demographic)
      • invocation of law (either: “we’re ordering you to do this” which may not result in an adverse reaction directly if not followed or “we’re about to do ___ if you don't do ___” which holds higher risk of there being adverse actions taken if not adhered to)
      • mass arrest (attempt to arrest a large group of people)
      • post event hunting (cops taking intel gathered during an event to target/chase down specific individuals that may hang around after most have dispersed as an event is clearing out)
      • police riot (when the police lose control of their own people and begin acting in accordance to their own conscience which can be violent)
      • non-state actors (police will create a space for outside, non-government antagonists to act against the protesters with little to no ramification physically/legally/otherwise which can be violent)

police constraints & advantages:

  • police constraints:
    • not getting split up
    • being recorded by media outlets
    • overwhelming numbers of people
    • role constraints (police are usually only doing one job, so it may not be possible for them to multitask rapidly or shift their response if they are doing something like holding up a baton or a shield)
    • centralized command structure (delay time between instructions being given and actions being taken)
  • police advantages:
    • Impunity
    • Vehicles
    • Gear
    • time (police are often fresh/rotated vs the protesters being worn down)
    • clearly defined roles

self defense:

  • defending against strikes—jabs, overhead strikes, push, leg/foot strikes
  • having your hands up approaching a front line can help deescalate violence, but also puts you in a position to react more quickly
  • moves will be predictable; you’re not dealing with a trained martial artist
  • push: placing your hands on the baton will escalate the situation; instead, move with the impact; move as a group; don’t force people to take the blows at the front
  • jabs: turn perpendicular and cover your abdomen
  • overhead strikes: put an arm up and turn perpendicular/away/to the side
  • low strikes: turn perpendicular and unweight the knee to catch blow on the back of the thigh or backside where there’s a lot of muscle

tools:

  • goggles
  • helmet
  • lung protection/gas mask
  • arm/knee/shin guards
  • ear plugs
  • gloves
  • boots
  • mouthguard
  • cup
  • neck brace
  • shield
  • NOT wearing contacts
  • phonebooks and duct tape

tips

  • if you’re going to put on armor, put it on under your clothes so they don’t see your weak spots
  • don’t wear identifiable clothing
  • if a gun is pointed at you:
    • do not argue
    • Do not turn and run
    • WAIT: time is on your side in terms of adrenaline dissipating
    • immediately deescalate anything you or nearby group members are doing
  • trading off is a highly useful deescalation on a hassle line; don’t always have the same people up front getting screamed at—support each other!
  • de-escalation has roots in relaying facts—not frenzied, subjective retelling of observation
  • be clear and calm and aware

Medical

Tech & Communications

Before You Go

  • Obtain Two-Way Radio with working range of at least 15 miles - popular at camp are Baofeng UV-5Rs, $25 on Amazon and set channels
  • Install Signal for iOS or Android phones for secure, encrypted text and phone calls.
  • USB backup phone battery pack (ideally solar-powered)
  • Apple users: take fingerprint unlocking capacity off—police can use your print or body to unlock your phone
  • Android users: go into “Security” in settings and turn on “Encryption”. Remember to turn your phone off completely when in arrestable situations.

On the Ground

  • Mobile coverage:
    • Verizon = most service, but still has spotty coverage
    • AT&T = some service
    • T-Mobile = no mobile data; only voice
  • Don’t be hooked on devices/Facebook the entire time—there are some places within camp that electronics/recording are not allowed (eg; during ceremony)
  • Two-way radios will become too crowded; attempting to create a large scale wifi network with many routers that are self-powered through solar, wind, etc.
  • Current technological threats:
    • using sting rays (aka — MC catcher (MC = unique identification number of your device)): captures your unique identification number and accesses voice calls, text messages, etc.
    • planes and helicopters are flying overhead “gridding” and surveilling calls
    • devices are dying very quickly even on airplane mode (~8hrs)
    • potentially downloading Malware onto mobile devices—people have reported device issues even after leaving Standing Rock
  • All communications can be monitored — use code words and names

Tech equipment donations needed

  • Two-way radios (Baofeng brand recommended)
  • Ubiquiti routers for building out the wireless network
  • Telescoping flagpoles, POE injectors, outdoor shielded ethernet cable
  • OpenWRT-compatible routers
  • Small solar, wind, or other sustainable energy modules to power individual nodes

Technical needs on the ground

  • Certified radio tower climbers urgently needed to finish the link to the local tribal telecom bringing internet to the camps
  • Wireless network geeks to help build out the network and design a local intranet mesh
  • Solar and wind energy geeks to build a distributed network of sustainable, off-grid power for individual nodes

Contact at camp for tech volunteers

Lisha Sterling @ Tech Warrior Camp - lisha AT gwob DOT org - Signal: 206.886.4892

Handouts and Useful Links

Legal

  • This is not legal advice, just general advice.
  • Theoretical in most cases; use your judgement!
  • Remember these words: “I AM GOING TO REMAIN SILENT; I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO MY LAWYER.”
  • Provocateurs, undercover agents, infiltrators are out there
    • make sure you're taking your direct action only with those that you have a high level of trust with
    • if you believe someone to be a cop, don’t openly call them out! Focus on the behavior and the facts; it’s damaging to the movement to start accusing each other

levels of police interaction:

  • casual conversation: you have no legal obligation to speak to an officer within a casual encounter
    • “Am I free to go or am I being detained?”
  • Detention: if the answer to the aforementioned question is ‘yes’
    • “I am going to remain silent; I would like to speak to my lawyer.”
    • use legal prophylactic: if the officers are going to utilize their power to conduct a pat search, say: “I do not consent to this search!” — it may not stop the officer from conducting the search, but it may help later down the line for information to be thrown out if you clearly did not give consent
  • Arrest:
    • remember that whatever you have with you (bags, etc.) will be fair game to be searched once arrested
    • keep saying the magic words: “I am going to remain silent; I would like to speak to my lawyer.”

arrests at Standing Rock:

  • be aware that you will be waiting/in transit/processed for a long time; Morton County capacity is not large, so you may end up being transported long distances to other counties; also be mindful of long wait times encouraging discussion between arrestees that will be listened to
  • people of color will have a much different experience as they are being targeted
  • immigrants will go through ICE process
  • you have to go back to North Dakota to litigate the charges; they have 48 hours
  • for immigrants/foreign nationals: keep a copy (but not original!) of your status
  • report civil rights violations!! step up and call the hotline!
  • be incredibly mindful when being held about speaking with comrades—the police are listening!
  • exercise your right to remain silent (or forgetful :) if asked for social security number
  • Best bail funds: Sacred Stone websites; Water Protector’s Facebook

Standing Rock jurisdiction:

  • Sacred Stone: private property on reservation land
  • Rose Bud: on reservation land
  • Oceti Sakowin: Army Corps of Engineers land

vehicular stop:

  • if you are pulled over, make sure you are as clean as possible!! (contraband, prescriptions, weapons, or anything that could be construed as such)
  • only can search you if they are going to arrest you at the car
  • cannot search you if they don’t have reasonable suspicion

Roadblocks:

  • don’t lie to police—it’s a crime
  • make sure your cars are legal and regulation!!
  • Standing Rock specific:
    • people of color will be targeted
    • cars will be more targeted at night

Handouts and Useful Links

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