Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio expressed concern and offered support to members of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation this week after construction workers began construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline a week ago. Permission for construction of the pipeline on the reservation had not granted by members of the Sioux nation.
“Standing w/ the Great Sioux Nation to protect their water & lands. Take a stand: http://www.change.org/rezpectourwater,” DiCaprio posted to his Twitter account.
Violent clashes took place over the course of Labor Day Weekend after Dakota Access ran bulldozers through some of the tribe’s sacred burial sites. Members of the Standing Rock Sioux nation confronted the company’s security team who reportedly unleased attack dogs in retaliation.
Dakota Access accused members of the tribe of unlawfully interfering with the construction site. The Standing Rock Sioux, as well as a neighboring tribe, petitioned the U.S. District Court for a restraining order to prevent Dakota Access from further destroying their sacred lands. The tribes presented documentation that noted each of the reservation’s sacred sites.
Judge James Boasberg granted part of the restraining order on Tuesday, September 5, but also denied part of the request. Judge Boasberg announced that he would consider granting the tribe’s request to force the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw their permits for the project, forcing Dakota Access to withdraw their presence from the reservation.
The 1,100-mile pipeline would be the first of its kind to deliver oil directly from North Dakota to Gulf Coast refineries.