New York Post reporter Phelim McAleer recently visited the site of anti-Dakota Access Pipeline protests expecting to find what is often reported in the media, a peaceful non-violent prayerful protest against an energy infrastructure project.
What he found was quite different. In his own words,
“A young man claiming to be “security” came up and grabbed my microphone. I wouldn’t let go. He dragged me across the field — just for asking questions.
But worse was to follow, as my crew and I fled to our car.
When we tried to drive off, we were surrounded by cars and people. Two trucks blocked our way forward, and another pulled up tight behind. We couldn’t move. These weren’t grandmothers burning sage. They were angry, young masked men banging on the windows — threatening to slash our tires, demanding we exit the vehicle. Some warned that if we didn’t get out and hand over our footage then “we can’t control what’s gonna happen next.”
As we tried to call the police, they warned that the cops wouldn’t come onto the campsite — they hadn’t yet after two months of protests. I’m an Irish nationalist who grew up under British rule in Ireland, but according to those attacking my car I was ‘part of the problem with my settler mentality.’”
Mr. McAleer’s report confirms that despite the claims from anti-infrastructure activists, left-leaning media outlets, and Presidential comments, protests in North Dakota are in no way peaceful, and in fact are a danger to public safety. Without protester cooperation with the authorities, without reasonable and peaceful dialogue, these protests seem to only continue, and public safety only to be threatened further.