The Frontlines of the Fight to Stop Line 3
The week of May 8th, Extinction Rebellion chapters from across the US met on the frontlines in Northern Minnesota to support Indigenous water protectors in their fight against the Line 3 pipeline. The pipeline is a clear environmental catastrophe, and the very real and constant state suppression and violence against water protectors is horrifying. Construction continues at breakneck speeds as Enbridge rushes to finish the project as soon as possible in response to the many legal challenges waiting for their days in court. There is an urgent need for bodies, allies and accomplices willing to stand in solidarity with water protectors.
The Giniw Collective, an Indigenous women and two-spirit led frontline resistance group, shared the following from the recent week of action:
In conjunction with Extinction Rebellion and the week of action against the Line 3 Tar Sands pipeline, a dozen people locked down to a boat and blockaded access roads leading to Line 3 worksites in the Savanna State Forest. This area holds a historic trade route connecting the Mississippi River with the upper reaches of the drainage basin that Indigenous peoples navigated for thousands of years. The wetlands and forest are also home to white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, waterfowl, songbirds, and many other species. Construction of the Line 3 tar sands pipeline is responsible for deforestation, disruption and degradation of the natural habit that are necessary for all life in this area.
For those who can't make it to the frontlines, there is plenty of work to be done right here in New York City and across the country. Upcoming opportunities to support frontline Indigenous activists and get involved in the fight against Line 3:
Donate directly to Indigenous activists at the frontlines and to Honor the Earth, a nonprofit supporting Indigenous-led advocacy, education, and litigation to Stop Line 3. Visit the Stop Line 3 campaign site for more resources.
This Saturday, 3/20, at 7 PM, join XR NYC at the Brooklyn Museum for an outdoor film screening of the film Necessity: Oil, Water, and Climate Resistance followed by a talk back on the fight against Line 3.
Sign up for more upcoming Line 3 actions with XR NYC as we put pressure on banks to stop funding this environmental and human rights disaster.