In the wake of arrests following the construction and burning of roadblocks near Cannon Ball, it’s safe to say that protests have worn out their welcome in North Dakota.
What’s more surprising is that even on the Standing Rock Reservation, protesters have also worn out their welcome.
In a CNN report, Robert Fool Bear Sr., 54, district chairman of Cannon Ball says he “has had it with the protesters.’ He says that more than two years ago, when members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe could have attended hearings to make their concerns known, they didn’t care. Now, suddenly, the crowds are out of control, and he fears it’s just a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. ‘Go down to the camps,’ he says, ‘and you won’t see many Standing Rock Sioux.’”
In order to protect private property surrounding the protest camps, checkpoints have been established to control the unruly mob that continues to destroy property. But these checkpoints have also had a negative impact on the communities not participating in the protests, who are now forced to re-route many miles just to avoid the scene.
According to Fool Bear, “The situation has dissolved to madness,” he says, and he wishes Dave Archambault II, the Standing Rock Sioux chairman, would speak up. “If he had any balls, he’d tell [the protesters] to go home.”