Standing in solidarity at Standing Rock
- Text by Angel Lambo
- Photography by via Facebook
Thousands of people on both sides of the Atlantic have been using Facebook to check-in at Standing Rock, North Dakota to protect the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protestors.
Activists and environmentalists have welcomed calls for the virtual flash-mob in Standing Rock after claims that Morton County Sheriff’s Department have been targeting protestors based on their location on Facebook.
Flooding the check-in at Standing Rock has been referred to as “concrete action” for those who are unable to make a physical protest themselves. This simple act of digital defiance aims to protect the identity of campaigners on the ground and has raised awareness of the $3.7 billion pipeline which will pump crude oil across 4 states, sacred burial grounds and poses a risk to local water supplies.
Over 140 people were arrested last Thursday after Native American activists where met with pepper spray and armoured police.
These continuous arrests and barricades have been seen as an assault on “freedom of expression on the most basic level”, after journalists, filmmakers and politicians supporting the Native American community have also been threatened with legal proceedings by North Dakota officials.
Native American leaders have vowed to fight DAPL to the bitter end and in an age of voyeuristic social media activism, checking-in at Standing Rock has both positive consequences for those fighting the construction of the pipeline.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
An intimate window into New York’s ’70s lesbian scene
We Others — An exhibition at The Photographer’s Gallery combines Donna Gottschalk’s unearthed photographs of LGBTQ+ activists and friends, along with Hélène Gianneccini’s written histories.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The Pope has declared holy war on AI
The New Butlerian Jihad — In his first encyclical letter, Pope Leo XIV addressed the increasing pervasiveness of artificial intelligence as a threat to the already fragile structures of society. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland makes sense of it all.
Written by: Emma Garland
On the frontlines of Britain’s ’80s protest movements
Protest and Equality — Against a backdrop of Thatcherism, hospital closures and global conflict, photographer Sarah Saunders was a documentarian of the long decade’s effects on society, as well as the communities actively resisting it.
Written by: Miss Rosen
6 years on from George Floyd, how much more accessible is the outdoors for People of Colour?
Second Nature — A new report by The Mix Global highlights continued barriers that marginalised folks face when exploring nature, despite attempts at greater representation. Phil Young takes stock of how far we’ve come.
Written by: Phil Young
A stark, confronting window into the global cocaine trade
Sangre Blanca — Mads Nissen’s new book is a close-up look at various stages of the drug’s journey, from production to consumption, and the violence that follows wherever it goes.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Venice Biennale will not award artists from Israel & Russia due to war crime accusations
Art Not Genocide — Both countries will still be allowed to exhibit work at their respective pavilions, but be excluded from judging considerations, as they have leaders facing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.
Written by: Noah Petersons
