Oklahoma City stands with Standing Rock

About two hundred people showed up in support of the Sioux Tribe to march down Skydance Bridge. Gayly photo.

Victoria Backle
Staff Writer

In Oklahoma City, “Water is life, save mother Earth” is being chanted from all sides of a peaceful protest. Oklahoma residents are holding up hand-made signs that claim unity with Standing Rock. Proud Native Americans are waving their Oklahoma state flags and ask for nothing but awareness. Allies, organizations, and individuals are standing united for a common cause – clean water for everyone.

The Dakota Access Pipeline has been an issue of national debate for months. The oil pipeline is planned to be constructed through the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservations and sacred land in North Dakota. The concerns of the tribe have been contaminated drinking water along with desecration of burial sites. A temporary halt has been put on the construction by President Obama, but protestors claim that is not enough.

“The March for Standing Rock in Oklahoma City is a movement of solidarity,” one attendee stated. “We want Standing Rock to know that Oklahoma says ‘No Dakota Pipeline’.”

About two hundred people showed up in support of the Sioux Tribe to march down Skydance Bridge. According to the protestors, the march today was about telling Standing Rock they are not alone.

Another member of the march stated that our future is at stake with the pipeline and if we’re not careful, we will allow corporations to contaminate our drinking water.

The march to the bridge began at 10:30 a.m. after several speakers instilled a sense of passion in the residents that showed up.

“We are standing with our brothers and sisters,” said one speaker as applause rang out from the crowd. “We won’t take this any longer.”

Numerous organizations, such as the American Indian Movement, spoke with compassion and called for unity with those who are still fighting for their land in Standing Rock.

Leaders at the protest encouraged their followers to remain engaged and aware as the fight against the pipeline moves forward. They also asked that they do everything they can to attend the protest at the White House next week.

“We stand with Indigenous People”, said Grace Franklin, co-founder of Oklahoma City Artists for Justice. “There is a marginalization of people of color. When Native people stand up and say ‘we don’t want this to happen on this land, it should stop’, then it should stop.”