Native Americans March to the White House to Protest Pipelines

by Theodora Filis

Following months of demonstrations in North Dakota, thousands of Native Americans along with their supporters marched to the White House to express outrage at President Trumps continued support for the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines.

Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, Dave Archambault, spoke at the rally asking communities around the world to stand with them today, as they had done in the past. The Cheyenne River Sioux and Standing Rock lost their bid to legally halt the construction of the last link of the oil pipeline under Lake Oahe in North Dakota. Completion of the pipeline is expected on April 1, 2017.

Tipis were erected on the National Mall by protesters.

Some protesters were wearing traditional tribal outfits, carrying signs that read Native Lives Matter, Water is Life, and Protect the Water while marching.

While speaking to the crowd, Archambault was often times interrupted by those supporting him with cheers, and others who booed him. There were many who accused him of selling them out by allowing the main anti-pipeline protest camp, Oceti Sakewin, to be clear out.

Archambault told the crowd that he wasn't bothered by them being upset, and tried explaining that the only reason he was attending the rally was for the sake of the youth and the future of the Sioux people.

White House officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The pipeline is now being constructed after Trump signed an executive order last month clearing the path for construction to continue. Trump also opened the way for another pipeline -- the Keystone XL project -- that will carry Canadian crude into the United States.

One of President Trump's first acts in office was to sign an executive order reversing the decision by the previous administration, of Democratic President Barack Obama, to delay approval of the $3.8 billion Dakota pipeline project by Energy Transfer Partners LP.

Although the fight seems to be over, and construction is underway, opponents of the pipeline have vowed to continue protesting.