Police face off against protesters occupying a bridge immediately north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, on October 28, 2016. (Photo: Angus Mordant / The New York Times)
There have been a lot of questions surrounding the influx of military style troops and equipment to the Standing Rock Sioux tribal area in North Dakota. In August, North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple declared a state of emergency in response to the growing Dakota Access pipeline protests, and Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier has invoked the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, calling on police resources from six surrounding states.
On Thursday, police executed a particularly violent sweep of a camp that left structures destroyed, more than 140 people arrested, cars impounded and others burning on the side of the road. The highly militarized response — armored vehicles and heavy weaponry — was recorded by many people caught in the assault.
Across the nation, there have been solidarity actions to protest the police response. When word spread that police were allegedly using Facebook to monitor those gathered at Standing Rock, a campaign was launched Sunday encouraging Facebook users worldwide to “check-in” at Standing Rock and share that status publicly. The campaign seeks to confuse police by flooding social media with check-ins from all across the globe. According to CNN today, hundreds of thousands of people have already done it; although the Morton County Sheriff’s Department has denied using Facebook to monitor the camp.
The questions many are asking range from why a private pipeline company warrants a seven-state security force paid for by taxpayers, to why President Obama has not stepped in.
Here is a list of officials from the involved states, plus the county and city police confirmed by news reports, to have sent troops and equipment to North Dakota. Questions can be directed to these people.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple
600 East Boulevard…