ST. PAUL, Minn. - Police are responding in downtown St. Paul Thursday afternoon after activists launched a rolling demonstration protesting the resumption of work on the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Reports began about 12:30 p.m. of protesters near U.S. Bank Plaza and the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters. They were also reports that groups were headed towards Wells Fargo. Activists say they have tied both banks to money funding the controversial pipeline, and the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday gave permission for Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) to resume work.
#NoDAPL protest happening now in downtown St. Paul. Come join us! #WaterIsLife pic.twitter.com/bYhLGThwN9
— MNEnviroPartnership (@MEPartnership) February 9, 2017
St. Paul Police put the number of protesters at approximately 100. The demonstrations shut down operations on the Metro Transit Green Line for a time, but service resumed just before 1:20 p.m.
An activist told KARE 11 that the demonstration is the first in a series to show pipeline interests they will not give up the fight for clean water, and will not be defeated.
Protesters made their way to Mears Park for a rally ended around 3 p.m.