1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: As the record high heat wave of one hundred and 2 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: seventeen degrees hit my hometown of Portland, Oregon, in late 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: June one, I was facing down baton wielding county sheriffs 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: in the forests of Minnesota. Originally I was going out 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: of town to attend the twenty twenty one Earth First 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: Summer Gathering. I learned about it from some online friends, 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: and since I was already deep into research for this 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: very podcast, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: to learn from people who have been fighting against climate 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: change longer than I have been alive. I arrived in 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: Minneapolis in the early morning of June and then up 12 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: put someone to make the four hour drive north into 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: the lake dense forests of Minnesota. By the time we 14 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: arrived at the earth First camp, who was already dark 15 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: in the mosquito filled woods and it started to rain. 16 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: I could of myself indeed bug spray and scrambled to 17 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: set up my tent and rain flow. I It was 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: a long day. My exhaustion coupled with the rain, maybe 19 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: not bother to inflate my sleeping pad, a decision I 20 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: would soon regret. Come morning, I woke up with a moist, 21 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: sore back into the sound of a loud ringing bell 22 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: and someone yelling breakfast for me. That meant it was 23 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: time for morning coffee. I suppose before I get any further, 24 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: it would be useful to explain what exactly Earth First 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: is for those who are unfamiliar. Earth First is an 26 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: environmental movement focused on the protection and defense of nature, 27 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: the wilderness, and wildlife. It was sounded in nineteen eighty 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: as an alternative to other mainstream environmental organizations that were 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: seen as too moderate and willing to sacrifice demands and 30 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: goals to make deals with lawmakers and corporations. Earth First 31 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: invented the slogan no compromise and defensive Mother Earth to 32 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: demonstrate their commitment to their more radical ideals. Some of 33 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: its earliest inspirations were non anthropocentric philosophies such as biocentrism 34 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: and eventually deep ecology. Earth First was also in part 35 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: inspired by Edward Abbey's nineteen seventy five book The Monkey 36 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: Wrench Gang, which follows a small gaggle of radical environmentalists 37 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: as they travel around the Western United States doing various 38 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: tax as, sabotage, attacking the machinery, and infrastructure that are 39 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: harming the planet. The novel became so ubiquitous that the 40 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: word monkey wrenching became a synonym for eco sabotage. A 41 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: few things set earth First apart from other more mainstream 42 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 1: environmental groups. Its non formal, largely non hierarchical organization structure 43 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: resulted in a loose network of local autonomous groups as 44 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 1: opposed to a national membership based organization. Its tactics were 45 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: more focused on civil disobedience and direct action rather than 46 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: lobbying and political deal making. Direct Action such as body blockades, 47 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: tree sits, and tree spiking i e. Putting metal rods 48 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 1: or nails and trees to prevent them from being cut, 49 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 1: gave earth First national media coverage, which in turn got 50 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: more people involved with actions. Earth First also launched a 51 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: magazine journal, which served as a public face and gave 52 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: earth firsters info and tips on direct action and different 53 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: writings on biocentrism. Around the early nineteen nineties, the organization 54 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: faced some growing pains. Debate between more performative protests and 55 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: get the goods style direct action is common in activist spaces, 56 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: and earth First was no different. After a nine Earth 57 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: First summer gathering, in the UK, some activists, frustrated by 58 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: the increasingly mainstream and more hierarchical version of the Earth 59 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: First organization with an emphasis on civil disobedience over sabotaged, 60 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: formed a spinoff group called the Earth Liberation Front or 61 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: the e LF. Earth First continue operating the journal and 62 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: doing tree sets, blockades, civil disobedience, and occupation style protests. 63 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: While the ELF took credit for tree spiking, fire bombings, 64 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: and more fiery and instructive direct actions. Inevitably, business leaders, politicians, 65 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: law enforcement authorities, and many others would rise up to 66 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: attack these activists. The FBI labeled them the number one 67 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: domestic terrorism threat in two thousand one and began work 68 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: to suppress the entire green movement. This culminated in the 69 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: Green Scare of the two thousands, a federal crackdown and 70 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: mass surveillance project against environmental activism that was also in 71 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: part fueled by the heightened anti terror fervor post and 72 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: eleven and the terrorism enhancements in the Patriot Act. FBI 73 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: investigations and subsequent grand juries broke many of the actives 74 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: communities active at the time and scared more into hiding. 75 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: Many are still imprisoned today, quoting Braun Taylor, a professor 76 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: of environmentalism at the University of California, quote often complimented 77 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: by lawsuits, The radical environmental movement had no small number 78 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: of victories in the nineties, although the victories were often small. Nevertheless, 79 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: the perception of the movement's activists were that they were 80 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: losing overall and badly, and moreover, that the government was 81 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: not only corrupt and the cahoots with the industry, but 82 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: increasingly repressive. Such perceptions reinforced an increasingly common view in 83 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: the movement that the time had come to a shoe 84 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: above ground tactics and create an underground resistance movement. By 85 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: the mid ninety nineties, there was a proliferation of such tactics. 86 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: Between then and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade 87 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: Center two thousand and one, at least twenty activists deployed 88 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: arson as a tactic torturing gas guzzling sports utility vehicles, 89 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: a ski lodge being built in the habitat of a 90 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: threatened species of Canadian links in Colorado, a forced service 91 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: office in Oregon, and trophy homes being built in ecologically 92 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 1: sensitive areas, to name but a few of these incendiary incidents. 93 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: Welly sorts of tactics have drawn the bulk of the 94 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: media's attention to these movements. Significant environmental victories have been 95 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: won or contributed to by radical environmentalists. In January one, 96 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: for example, the United States Forced Service under President Bill 97 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: Clinton issued the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects over 98 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: fifty eight million acres of federal forest lands. Although it 99 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: took more than a decade of legal battles for imponents 100 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: of this rule to exhaust their legal challenges to it, 101 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: it eventually became law of the land. It is inconceivable 102 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: that the government would have issued this important rule in 103 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: the absence of a decade of strong and disruptive resistance 104 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: to the Force Services Timber program bi radical environmentalists. Although 105 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: the rule did not provide everything the radical environmental activists sought, 106 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: it was a significant advance from biodiversity conservation in North America. 107 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: Every day at the Earth First Camp followed a rough 108 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: pattern wake up and breakfast call around seven, then a 109 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: morning circle where folks lay out the plan for the 110 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: day and make announcements. After that, the late morning to 111 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: early afternoon is split up into three time blocks for 112 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: various workshops at different sections of the camp, with lunch 113 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: somewhere in between time slots. Once workshops are done, it's 114 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: dinner time by the lake, and then usually some sort 115 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: of evening activity. The workshops covered a broad range of topics, 116 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: from how to climb a tree to how to do 117 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: comfort resolution. Many were pre planned, but if you had 118 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: a skill you wanted to share, time was set aside 119 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: to do an impromptu workshop. The main workshops were on 120 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: Indigenous solidarity and land Back, the History of Earth First, Slash, 121 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: the Radical Green Movement, and an Overview slash discussion on 122 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: direct action. Direct action is about literally taking direct action 123 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: in hopes of achieving a tangible goal. It's not simply 124 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,559 Speaker 1: a protest march. Direct action means actually getting something done. 125 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: People who call themselves Earth First are usually known for 126 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: doing direct actions that temporarily inconvenience those who wish to 127 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: harm the planet, while also trying to gain positive media 128 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: attention or optics to grow massive support of the overall 129 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: green movement. Examples of these actions include tree sits and lockdowns, 130 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: more permanent and destructive tactics, and direct actions like burning 131 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: down an ecologically distry active ski resort construction site or 132 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: torching high carbon emitting luxury SUVs were more associated with 133 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: the ELF or the Earth Liberation Front. The Direct Action 134 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: workshop went over many examples of direct actions from years 135 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: passed and around the globe. People discussed what goals the 136 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: actions may have had, if the actions achieved that goal, 137 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: the different risks of participating in the action, and what 138 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: the public perception might have been, all of which are 139 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: important things to consider when planning an action. Also discussed 140 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: was slight deception as a useful tool for planning the 141 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: risk and optics of an action. A past protest was 142 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: shown as an example. At that protest, Indigenous folks were 143 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: attached to fake chains so it looks like they were 144 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: locked onto equipment while standing in front of a large 145 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 1: message banner for media attention and pictures. Meanwhile, white protesters 146 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: behind them were locked down to actual equipment, thus putting 147 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: the indigenous activists at the center of media coverage while 148 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: having white folks bear the brunt of the burden of 149 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: state repression. A green activism classic are body blockades. Generally 150 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: there are two types, hard and soft. Soft blockades are 151 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: just bodies linked together. Hard blockades use lock boxes, typically 152 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: made out of metal or plastic tubes that people attach 153 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: their limbs to on the inside, that are then attached 154 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: around equipment machinery, train tracks, or gates. Other hard blockades 155 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: can use technology like bipods or tripods to suspend people 156 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: up in the air to physically block off a space. 157 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: Innovation and experimentation are key to the success of these devices. 158 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: The state already knows of and how to quickly counter 159 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: most popular lock box designs, though rule policing areas may 160 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: be less trained on how to counter these more militant tactics. 161 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: Having a publicly announced protest march serve as a sort 162 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: of distraction action as other folks can do shenanigans and 163 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: monkey wrenching behind the scenes at other spots was mentioned 164 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: as a useful idea, but one that's rarely utilized. There 165 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: were also discussions of other activism and direct action related concepts, 166 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: such as affinity groups and security culture. An affinity group 167 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: is essentially your specific small crew of people that you 168 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: are with at an action. You all watch out for 169 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 1: each other and usually have linked goals. Security culture is 170 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: a broader concept that we don't have tons of time 171 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: to get into today, but one aspect of it is 172 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: is that there's information that you, your friends, and especially 173 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: strangers don't need to share or sometimes even know about 174 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: at all. A good security culture habit to get into 175 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: is thinking about if sharing details or even letting it 176 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: be known that you have knowledge of certain things could 177 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: put people at risk before you say anything at all 178 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: to anyone. This includes bragging about things, especially direct actions 179 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: that you may or may not have participated in in 180 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 1: the past, even if you're telling a quote unquote trusted 181 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: group of friends or on your quote anonymous Twitter account. 182 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: Another big discussion point was risk assessment, knowing what risks 183 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: you can and can't take for whatever reasons, both at 184 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: actions and during the planning process, and then trying to 185 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: plant accordingly to set yourself up for the best possible outcome. This, 186 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: by no means always works out, but it's still a 187 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 1: good thing to practice and something that may save your skin. 188 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: One method of trying to suss out rough risk levels 189 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: is the stoplight system, which divides actions into green, yellow, 190 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: and red. These are areas of the physical protest space 191 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: and or specific rules linked to different levels of risk. 192 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: Green means that you plan on getting out of the 193 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: protests without getting arrested. This includes stuff like protest theater, 194 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: holding signs and banners, doing legal support work, doing protest 195 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: extraction i e. Going around in a car, picking up 196 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: folks as they're trying to leave an escalating situation, or 197 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: even just standing in a large group to help anonymize 198 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: other folks in the crowd, doing more mischievous actions. Yellow 199 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: means that you'd rather get out of the protests without 200 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: getting arrested, but you may be in scenarios where that's 201 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: slightly more likely to happen. This includes being a part 202 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: of the shield slash umbrella walls, attempting d arrests, perhaps 203 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 1: throwing a water bottle at an armed man with a badge. 204 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: Being able to move quickly is a really useful skill 205 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 1: for folks that take up yellow rolls. Red means that 206 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: you plan on being arrested, whether it be for tree 207 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: sitting or locking down to the gate of ice facility 208 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: to temporarily prevent the transportation of immigrants, among other possibilities. 209 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: Also included in this category are people who get arrested 210 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: for optics purposes, although getting arrested solely in hopes of 211 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: getting good media coverage is a point of contention in 212 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: certain activists circles. The stop flight method is by no 213 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,439 Speaker 1: means perfect or applicable in every scenario, but I included 214 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: it here as an example of one way to do 215 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: very basic risk assessment related to organizing practicing split second 216 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: in group decision making was also discussed as a really 217 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: good habit to get into. Things like a D and 218 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: D and role playing games are great ways to do this. 219 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: As an RPG party is very much like an affinity group, 220 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: and in the end, it's important to remember actions have 221 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: the potential to be empowering and achieve measurable change. Sometimes 222 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: you can do both, sometimes just one, and sometimes neither. 223 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: At the end of Earth First Gathering is there's usually 224 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: some sort of project or direct action. As we were 225 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: in northern Minnesota, it was a decent assumption that this 226 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 1: one would be related to the Line three pipeline currently 227 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: being constructed across the Minnesota wilderness, including underneath lakes, wet 228 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: lands growing sacred wild rice, and the Mississippi River headwaters. 229 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: People from the nearby stop Line three protest camp named 230 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: the may Wog came over to the Earth First Gathering 231 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 1: a few times, either to hang out or attend workshops. 232 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: A panel of Indigenous folks from the GNU Collective and 233 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: Indigenous Women and Two Spirit led Frontline Resistance group drove 234 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: from the Stop Plane three camp and gave a wonderful 235 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 1: panel on land back and how to show Indigenous solidarity. Monday, June, 236 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: Day three of the week long gathering, started out like 237 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: any other day thus far. The early morning wake up 238 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: bell that my Pacific time zone brain was slowly adjusting 239 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: to coffee and breakfast, and then morning circle. Today I 240 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: planned on strapping on a harness and doing some tree 241 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: climbing at the training setup they had in camp. But 242 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: during morning circle we had a surprise announcement at the 243 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: Stop Plane three camp near Park Rapids, Minnesota, situated on 244 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: a piece of private property owned by the activists. Mind you, 245 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: the Hubbard County Sheriff's had shown up at six am 246 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: with a piece of paper that said they would be 247 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: blocking off access to the driveway leading to the private property, 248 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: letting us suspicious, obscure and never before enforced land use ordinance, 249 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: saying that the property owners didn't have an official easeman 250 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: to use the driveway. Part of the paper read quote 251 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,239 Speaker 1: the trail will be barricaded beginning on June at ten am. 252 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: Beveagles not be allowed to enter for any reason after 253 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: this time. Beagles driving on this Hubbard County owned trail 254 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: or in violation of the Hubbard County land Use Ordinance 255 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: and enforcement action will be taken by the Hubbard County 256 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: Sheriff's Office unquote. This also meant that vehicles were not 257 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: allowed to leave, effectively trapping people inside with limited cell 258 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: service and supplies. Water has to be hauled in from 259 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: a nearby town into the Nomawag camp and the camp 260 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: property has no utility hookups and it's only accessible via 261 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: this driveway that runs through one fifty foot strip of 262 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: public land owned by Hubbard County. The land use ordinance 263 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: has only been around since two thous and seven, and 264 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: the driveway in question has been around for at least 265 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: over four decades, according to land records and aerial photographs. 266 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: Plus basic property law, use dictates that you can't landlock someone, 267 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: and usually for property to even be sold, it needs 268 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: to have access to a public road. The previous owner 269 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: of the property actually did get a non exclusive eastment 270 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: prior to selling and has given the new owner's permission 271 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: to use their easement as it only expires in the 272 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: vent of non use. To make things even more legally complicated, 273 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: Hubbard Counties blockade of the driveway may actually be in 274 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: violation of treaty law. Quoting an article by Karen Savage, 275 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: an investigative journalist who reports on climate change related litigation 276 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: and environmental justice. Quote Frank B. Bu, executive director of 277 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: the eighteen fifty five Treaty Authority, which represents approximately twenty 278 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: five thousand Chippewa tribal members who are currently beneficiaries of 279 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: the eighteen fifty five Chippewa Treaty with the United States, 280 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: says the matter was settled more than a century ago. 281 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: The eighteen fifty five treaty grants the Chippewa a superior 282 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: federal perpetual conservation easement and the right to access quote 283 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: public lands and public waters using public roads unquote. I'll 284 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: explain how this particular legal issue gets resolved in the 285 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: next episode, but suffice to say sheriff of blocking the 286 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: driveway and probably illegally. A new collective put out a 287 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: call for assistance and requests for people to attempt to 288 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: bring in supplies. So people at the first camp organized 289 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: a caravan of cars with people willing to protect the 290 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: No May Walk camp and bring in food and water. 291 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: Most of our regular plans of the day were postponed 292 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: as about half the Earth First camp decided to go help. 293 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: Jail support forms were filled out and people wrote to 294 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: the jail support numbers on their body and so around 295 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: noon I hopped in a Prius and began the two 296 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: hour drive towards No May Wog. I could tell we 297 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: were getting close by the number of Hubbard County Sheriff's 298 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:30,199 Speaker 1: vehicles passing us, white pickup trucks emblazoned with sheriffs in 299 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: that cool cop font you know the one. Soon enough, 300 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: the fifteen car long caravan from Earth First past the 301 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: Line three construction site. As we drove by, I stared 302 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 1: at the miles of pipe on top of overturned soil 303 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: and trees. Near the end of the drive, the car 304 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: I was then lost the vehicle ahead of us that 305 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: we were supposed to be following, So we decided to 306 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: tail one of the cop cars going in the same direction, 307 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: figuring we would all be heading to the same place, 308 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: and we were correct. Once we arrived at the spot, 309 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 1: we just pulled up behind the rest of the Earth 310 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: First caravan, already multiple cop cards were blocking the entrance 311 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: to the Maywog. While sitting idle and all still inside 312 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: our vehicles, a share S deputy walked by, writing down 313 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 1: all the license plate numbers and issuing a warning, you 314 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: guys gotta leave or else your vehicles gonna get ton Okay. 315 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: After waiting inside the vehicles for a bit, folks from 316 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: the supply and support caravan and started to trickle out 317 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: and head towards the Maywog and the cops. There's a 318 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: lot of arguing about the driveway in the Eastman situation, 319 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: which allegedly brought the cops out in the first place. 320 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: If you've ever tried arguing with cops in the street before, 321 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: you'll be able to guess that this was a mostly 322 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: pointless affair. We have you guys got off the road 323 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: because we're gonna start moving. Let us give our supplies 324 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: to our friends and then we'll fucking leave. We're not 325 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 1: you guys. You guys have the abilities handker stuff. It's 326 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: built on county land. It's a fucking driveway. Looking at it, 327 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 1: you're gonna die on this. Yeah. If this is a 328 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 1: white driveway for a bunch of this is a driveway 329 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 1: for a bunch of white people in it and I out. 330 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: You know, you guys, are they all ones? Bring off race? 331 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: You don't have. As the day trigged on, the law 332 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 1: enforcement presence grew more and more and more schriffs showing up. Um, well, 333 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: cheffs shift deputies, quite a few of them, UM hobably around. 334 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: I don't know twenty is here now, about thirty maybe 335 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: like thirty five protesters, aren't you know? People from the 336 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: nearby nearby First First camp trying to bring supplies to 337 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: the stop the Line three camp about two hours away. Um, 338 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: so some of the people here on the ground are 339 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: are from the stop Line three camp, some are from 340 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: their first camp. UM with about twenty ten fifteen cars 341 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: trying trying to be trying to be surpries as well. 342 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: It's currently being blocked off by the county sheriffs to 343 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: today for the first time today they've they've chosen to 344 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: a block off road access to the city camp. Since 345 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: the comps were blocking off the road, the caravan from 346 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: Earth First couldn't pull into the private property and had 347 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: to park on the side of the county road. As 348 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: we all waited to see how this was going to 349 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: turn out. Soon enough, a tow truck arrived. So we 350 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: have a tow truck just arrived and is starting to 351 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: tow some of the cars that are from the Earth 352 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: First camp who came here to bring supplies UM to 353 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: the stop the Line three camp that since since the 354 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: roadways have been blocked off, so they're unable to transfer 355 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: supply from the road UM to get to the stop 356 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 1: Line three camp. And right now there is a currently 357 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: it's like the first car being towed and all the 358 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: way into the back. I'm walking over there right now. 359 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: It's about like four sheriffs, sheriff's deputies and some people 360 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: that are obviously not thrilled about getting their cars towed, 361 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: given though we're on like a public road and they're 362 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 1: just parked because they're trying to get through and the 363 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,719 Speaker 1: cops are blocking them. Stuff's getting because stuffs getting more 364 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: tense by the by the by the tow truck area. 365 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: UM sheriffs are getting pretty obviously piste UM people are 366 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 1: have vested interest in not getting their vehicles stone but 367 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 1: trying to bring supplies to a protest camp, especially since 368 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: the roads being blocked by the sheriffs in the first place, 369 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 1: just causing this traffic. So that's where we're at right now. 370 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: Still the same situation by the by the entrance to 371 00:21:55,280 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 1: the Line three camp, walking back to the Toe t Uck. 372 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: That seems a little more tense at the moment. There 373 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: are there are I mean when when when we first 374 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: heard about this in the Earth First camp, they said 375 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: there was like one sheriff's deputy here trying to block 376 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 1: the entrance to the camp um with his vehicle. And 377 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: since we've arrived, there is like probably twenty at least 378 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: twenty sriff deputies here, possibly more. This is like at 379 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: least like fifteen fifteen sheriff's vehicles, so definitely a larger 380 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 1: presence than at the beginning of the day. As the 381 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: day continued on and everyone got more antsy arrests and 382 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: state violence seemed less like a possibility and more of 383 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: an inevitability. Looks like they just got a call for 384 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: a jail van um from the sheriff's comms radio. There 385 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: is there's a lot of people here. Um, there's a 386 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: lot of people here. So if they want to rest 387 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: everyone whom we might need multiple vans um. But yeah, 388 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: that is the state of this. I'm I'm up at 389 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: the front by the entrance to the camp, there's like 390 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: three different Sheriff's vehicles UM blocking the roadway UM and 391 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: a line of like ten or so vehicles from the 392 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: Earth First camp trying to bring supplies hip. Tis that 393 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: coming out? And I just got told zip ties are 394 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: coming out. None of the sheriff's deputies wanted to say 395 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: much well being recorded, but they did recommend if anyone 396 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,679 Speaker 1: had any questions. They asked County Sheriff Corey A. Yukes. 397 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 1: When asked how one would get in contact with Sheriff 398 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: at Yukes, A deputy replied, when most of these people 399 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: go to jail, a little good an opportunity to speak 400 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: with him. Under more pressure, the deputy clarified that the 401 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: reason they plan to arrest and charge people public nuisance 402 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: and obstruction of a roadway. They talked like they were 403 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: very concerned that they were cars parked illegally and that 404 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: the roadway was blocked and obstructed, conveniently ignoring the fact 405 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: that at this point the only vehicles blocking the whole 406 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: road were Sheriff's cars and trucks, and that said sheriffess 407 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 1: vehicles blocking the road was the reason the caravan of 408 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: support cars were pulled over to the side. It looks 409 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: like there are big like patty wagons, big big vans 410 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: to put people who are rested in on each side 411 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: of this road now, um, and people are gonna try 412 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: to avoid this mass mass arrest scenario by trying to 413 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: go into the line three camp up. I'm guessing on 414 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: to three or four or five fifteen vehicles probably get towed. Um. Again, 415 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: the sheriff's the sheriff vehicles are the one blocking the 416 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 1: road right now. Everyone else is just everyone is just 417 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: parked on the side at the moment. Um, I'm gonna 418 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:43,199 Speaker 1: slowly kind of make my way into the into the 419 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: area that's slightly safer so I can continue reporting. Um. 420 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: So I am going to be moving in shortly. The 421 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: I was told how do you get I was told 422 00:24:55,680 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: the sheriff, Um, like, you know, head sheriff man is 423 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 1: going to be here and we can maybe talk talk 424 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: to him. But he is not here at the moment 425 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 1: that I know of. Yeah, there's a patty wagon, all right, Yeah, 426 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 1: they definitely got a They've definitely got a fucking wagon out. Um. 427 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: They're absolutely gonna try to rest so many people as possible. 428 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: Since it became obvious that all of the caravan cars 429 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: were gonna be towed. Some folks decided that they weren't 430 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 1: gonna make it super easy. We have some people who 431 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: decided to park their cars perpendicular on the road, some 432 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 1: sideways so they're more difficult to tow. Um, we'll see 433 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: what I'm guessing. The law enforcement reaction to this is 434 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 1: not gonna They're not gonna be pleased. Already blocked people 435 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 1: are as expected. The comps weren't thrilled with the cars 436 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: now being parked sideways on the road. The detective on 437 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: the scene said, so, not only are all these cars 438 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: gonna get towed at this point in time, I'm going 439 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: to site every owner of the vehicle. And then this 440 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: happened about twenty minutes ago. Have thirty minutes ago Sheriff's 441 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,239 Speaker 1: officer U s Starch deputy took someone by d um 442 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 1: and they have not given it back up. And it 443 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 1: looks like that person has since been arrested. They're getting 444 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: dragged away. Yeah, someone someone's been dragged away. It looks 445 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,920 Speaker 1: like we have the first arrest. What didn't take long 446 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: for things to escalate, and a line of Sheriff's in 447 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: sparse riot gear to form a line to oppose the 448 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: stop Lane three and Earth First campers did some lewd chanting. 449 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: After the chanting stopped, the riot line slowly pushed forward, 450 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: forcing people into the driveway. So UM the line of 451 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: Sheriff's deputies uh she dispersal order on the side of 452 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: the road near the entrance UM to the camp. The 453 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: very rough right line was everyone equipped with Exeptize chaser's 454 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: guns however spray etcetera. UM, some habitans or big clubs 455 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 1: dispelling clubs. UM. They moved towards the road. It looks 456 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 1: like all of the Line three protesters have moved into 457 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: like the UM driveway of the camp that's currently being 458 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: blocked by the Sheriff's vehicles. UM. So that's where that's 459 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: where most people are right now. There are some other 460 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 1: UM people here to that came to support and deliver supplies. 461 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: Also the people who live here at the camp on 462 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: the on the other side of the main road, UM, 463 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: the one where the top truck is currently next to 464 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: next to like the main drag that got us. They 465 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,440 Speaker 1: got us to the side road which gets us into 466 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 1: the road near the camp. There's there's a dozen or 467 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: so maybe like two dozen sheriffs on that side as well. UM, 468 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: a couple of dozen um campers and people that came 469 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: for supplies and uh. One of the one of the 470 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: sheriffs and a detective said that they're dealing with this. 471 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: They said, fitting with this situation, referring to the stuff 472 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: near the entrance first, and then they will deal with 473 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 1: the dozen or so vehicles that have pulled off onto 474 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,360 Speaker 1: the road. Um after being blocked by the sheriff's cars. UM. 475 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: So we're taking this kind of one step at the 476 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: time here. Unclear how many more rests still be there's 477 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 1: already been one. UM, just kind of waiting it out 478 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: at the moment. One one guy keeps insisting that if 479 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: everyone moves into the camp, UM, there won't be any arrests. 480 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: Of course, they already arrested somebody who cops also took 481 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: took three d never gave it back for like an hour. UM. 482 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: So that's that is the thing we're dealing with at 483 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: the moment. Another toe truck arrived on the other side 484 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: of the road, closer to the new wage Camp entrance 485 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: and began towing vehicles from this side too, albeit with 486 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: a rough start. Don't truck the struggle, and it's it's 487 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: it's getting pulled back. It's trying to winch the car 488 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 1: to change this. Granted, ran the toad strugge not it'll go, 489 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 1: but it's gonna. It's gonna do this. Follow their orders. 490 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 1: You don't need to tow this van. They're blocking our driveway. 491 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: We need to want to drive the van into the driveway. 492 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: You don't need to tow it. About four minutes in 493 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: it looks like they missed the rant. It's been five minutes. 494 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: They'll get it this next As the tow truck was struggling, 495 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: the sheriffs were struggling to get people to move further 496 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: down the driveway spurs thirty three feet. You're still in it. 497 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: It goes for all of you thirty three feet. Definitely 498 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: further yet okay, just like they're trying to disperse, disperse 499 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 1: means to disperse, can't do so. You will not be 500 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: the charge. Were arrested who with the crime of public juice. 501 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 1: It's violation and the awful assembly. That's what dispersed means 502 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: almost dated thing. You're still trying to get the first 503 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: man they might do at this time. Oh maybe it's 504 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: a way. I don't know, quite a bit of damage 505 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: to vot. You have the character entires almost nine minutes 506 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: in almost add eleven minutes into them trying to move 507 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: this span onto I think they'll probably get at this time, 508 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: but they may public tire. This is thrilling Audio content 509 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: and the Toucher company are doing quite a bit of 510 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: damage to the to the public road, which is of 511 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: course I run in because they're here claiming is still 512 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: happening because of the cards walking the road. Those are 513 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 1: the cars walking um but still threatening arrests for like 514 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: pup muise and stuff. I mean, the froad is gonna 515 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: get so messed up by the time they to the 516 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: rest of like the fifteen cars. It's taken like fifteen 517 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 1: minutes to get the bat other one might get the faster. 518 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: There's quite a bit of damage about right, oh ship. 519 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: It looks like the toe truck they have just the 520 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: coach are it looks at the toe truck they have 521 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: just got some of the metal in the bottom got 522 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: worked or snapped us. Yeah, yea that they can't be 523 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: good since it's run it's still working. Damn. There's a 524 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: lot of what do you think they took that so 525 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: first been sixteen minutes, so that's sixteen times to get straight. 526 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: Well they got up only I don't know fifteen more ago. 527 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 1: Shortly after the problematic van was towed, comps grabbed more 528 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 1: folks just arrested about four people who were walking towards 529 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: the exit of the road carrying blankets chanting waters life um. 530 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: And then as the crowd was missed, the crowd who 531 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: was you know, gathered to watch as the as the 532 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: police they tackle and arrest of them. One person was 533 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,920 Speaker 1: filming and uh like another like a protest per camper 534 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: um was filming and police grabbed them off the road 535 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: and put them into handcuffs. So another arrested. There the 536 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 1: rough riot line of Sheriff's and now also Park Rapids 537 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: police did a surprise charge into the driveway, tackling and 538 00:33:49,720 --> 00:34:09,879 Speaker 1: arresting five people for no apparent reason. Hurting people after 539 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: the abrupt attack from the cops, folks from no mawag 540 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,760 Speaker 1: and earth first from the very strong and tight shield 541 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,400 Speaker 1: wall on the driveway leading to the private property. Meanwhile, 542 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 1: someone up the road locked themselves onto one of the 543 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 1: cars to temporarily prevented from being towed. One of the 544 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 1: main detective guys that's been talking to the group the 545 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 1: past few hours walked up to the shield wall and said, Um, 546 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: your friend that's like hooked up to the equipment, UM 547 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: needs to needs you need we need you to unhook 548 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: him or we're gonna destroy your car. UM because he's 549 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: climbing that he doesn't know how to remove the lock 550 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 1: box that's connected to the car. UM crowd said just 551 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,760 Speaker 1: started chanting cops sly and he walked aways like okay, UM, 552 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: So my guess is that they probably will destroy the 553 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,839 Speaker 1: car because like why why wouldn't they right if they're 554 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 1: going if they have an excuse to do that, of 555 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: course they didn't to it. So I'm guessing they're gonna 556 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 1: be selling a part of car UM, and then the 557 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,600 Speaker 1: person in the lock box is gonna get arrested. Um, 558 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: they'll probably face some of the harshest charges out of 559 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: everyone that's been the rest of today so far, I've 560 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: counted about ten arrests. UM. Yeah, I think spread around ten. 561 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: Right now. The shield wall has been holding strong for 562 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: almost almost like an hour and a half At this point, 563 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: Um and the Sheriff's haves have not advanced. One of 564 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 1: them tried to like trespass into private property like part 565 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: part of this land and was called out for it 566 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: and people went over there to film and then he 567 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: left because he's he's obviously breaking the law. There was 568 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: to the cabra's um, he looked, he looked very sad. Um. 569 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: But yeah, now we're still to set the standstill with 570 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 1: UM stop Lane three protesters with shields UM trying to 571 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: hold holding their ground against the Sheriff's who marched into 572 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: into the driveway and towards their camp. So that's situation. 573 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: That's the situation right now. It's almost to eleven pm, 574 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: standing around for a while. I don't have a right 575 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: jacket anymore because I believe the I believe it is 576 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,800 Speaker 1: the car I arrived in. UM, I believe it's probably 577 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:14,440 Speaker 1: towed away and I left my raine jacket inside. So 578 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:18,400 Speaker 1: I'm not at my regular student spot at this at 579 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,239 Speaker 1: the top Line three camp. I don't have a check 580 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: of I don't have ray jacket, I have some water, 581 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: and then there's you know people here who are who've 582 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:30,880 Speaker 1: been extremely friendly. UM. So yeah, that's that's the update 583 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: as of ten pm in Hubbard County at the stop 584 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: to Line three protest on the drive here. I saw 585 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: all of the all the equipment, um, all of like 586 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: the line three pipes and stuff laid out in the 587 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: giant field. It was a massive there's a lot of 588 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff, um, and I know they're just 589 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 1: starting to dig under the Mississippi River to put in 590 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: the line three pipes and stuff. The movement somber when 591 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: as discussions of the pipeline, UM, yeah, a lot of 592 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: it's it's extremely somber. People talking about how this land 593 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: is extremely important to them and um, their indigenous relatives 594 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:20,240 Speaker 1: and the spirits living in the water and in the trees, um, 595 00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:25,439 Speaker 1: and how the line three of pipes are gonna kill 596 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 1: so much of this environment and so much of this history. 597 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: But these people know that a movement can't run on grief, 598 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: sorrow and resentment all on its own. That's a people 599 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: cheering on the people cheering on the person that locked 600 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 1: themselves to one of the vehicles. I believe they just 601 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: got let let into a into one of the jail vans, 602 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 1: um and they they yelled at the crowd from from 603 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 1: out on the street, and everyone cheered them on to 604 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:02,360 Speaker 1: you know, make them to you know. The camaraderie here 605 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: is one of the main driving forces the feeling of community. UM. 606 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:11,760 Speaker 1: The feeling of you know, putting something at risk, going 607 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,360 Speaker 1: going into the conflict and knowing that you have a 608 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: community to support you, UM and cheer you on and 609 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,960 Speaker 1: UM help you out and no matter what happens. UM. 610 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:25,240 Speaker 1: And that's that's the that's that's the main driving force 611 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,920 Speaker 1: from all my time at the Earth First conference or gathering. 612 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 1: That's you know, one of the main things that gets 613 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:33,879 Speaker 1: talked about, maybe not in those words, that the same, 614 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 1: that's the same idea, UM is that you know, this 615 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:40,919 Speaker 1: isn't a movement of individuals, um. This is it only 616 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: works as a movement when everyone's together like this and 617 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,680 Speaker 1: everyone's supporting each other. Almost three hours and to hold 618 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: in the shield wall. At around midnight, someone started playing 619 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 1: fun the Police on a big speaker and almost on queue. 620 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,480 Speaker 1: That's when the sheriffs and cops decided to pull out. 621 00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 1: The crowd erupted in celebration, and then the absence of 622 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: the cop cars headlights, I could see fireflies in the 623 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:11,239 Speaker 1: darkened street for the first time in my life. This 624 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 1: wraps up part one of my two Earth First and 625 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:18,960 Speaker 1: Stop Line three episodes about my trip to Minnesota. Part 626 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: two will air tomorrow and wrap up this particular small 627 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 1: section of the stop Line three story. If you want 628 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,799 Speaker 1: to support the Stop Line three movement and people who 629 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 1: are fighting right now, you can go to Protest Law 630 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:33,799 Speaker 1: dot org slash line three to donate, and also go 631 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:37,720 Speaker 1: to Stop Line three Bail Funds dot org to donate 632 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:40,200 Speaker 1: to bail Funds and to donate to the Canoe Collective. 633 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:44,840 Speaker 1: You can go to bit dot l y slash stop 634 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:47,799 Speaker 1: Pipeline three