Standing Rock Water Protectors in Netherlands, Now Germany

Waste Win Young, Dakota Lakota from Standing Rock, Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, Rafael Gonzalez, Dakota, and Nataanii Means, Dine' Lakota, in the Netherlands.

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Standing Rock Water Protectors met with members of Parliament in the Netherlands, and visited four cities in five days. Now they are off to Germany on their 11 country tour, urging divestment in fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy, and standing up for the water.
Waste Win Young, Dakota Lakota, said they have just arrived in Bonn, Germany, and will be first supporting those resisting coal mines.

                                          Photos by Rachel Heaton and Sandra Beckerman

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Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, shares the day:

Today we visited a village in the city of Groningen. The people here are effected by man made earthquakes caused by one of the many gas extraction plants located in the middle of their farmlands. They too are fighting the abuse of big corporations looking out for the interest of profits over people and at the expense of lives and land.

The people of this town welcomed us with a beautiful picnic, one side of the street farmers crops, the other side huge mazes of metal pipes leading into the ground and under the land of those that live here, the gas extraction plant.

They shared a meal with us, their stories, allowed us space to share our stories. There was so much beauty today that took place, but in the middle of sadness right there in their back yards. They were eager to learn more about our fights and our struggles as Native People and the fights on our lands.

This trip so far has been even more eye opening that could have imagined. The people we've met, the land we've touched, those we felt connected too, the water we've been gifted, and the awesome group of us that get to travel together. People all over the world are struggling and yet they look to us indigenous people for hope, for guidance, for new ideas, our connection. I'm learning more and more about the beauty in the struggle too.

I say prayers for each and every person that has crossed my path on this journey, those already a part of my journey, and those to come. So many are doing their part to help Mother Earth and so many believe indigenous people such as the Water Protectors I'm with and those we've met are doing just that. I'm so thankful for this day and so thankful for our struggle.

A'ho!

Standing Rock Water Protectors Leave Paris for Brussels

Standing Rock Water Protectors Rafael Gonzales, friend, Rachel Heaton, Waste Win Young and Nataaniii Means.

Standing Rock Water Protectors led Paris for Brussels to join the 'Trump Not Welcome' Protest at NATO. Speaking out for Indigenous rights, divestment in pipelines, while performing in concerts and holding press conferences, the team is on an 11 city tour of Europe.

Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, shutting down bank funding pipelines in Paris.

The Paris Crew

Water protectors Rafael Gonzales, friend, Waste Win Young and Rachel Heaton.

Battling the Pipeline Snake in Paris

by Nataanii Means, Dineh/Lakota from Chinle, Navajo Nation

PARIS -- Nataanii Means, Dineh/Lakota, and Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, spoke to the shareholders of Société General, BNP, and Nataxis banks in Paris.

Nataanii Means said, “Rachel and I were the only ones allowed in with our translators. We were met with derogatory yelling, boo's, and confrontation. When we stated that these banks and their investments into overseas pipelines directly affect my people and community, people began to make so much noise meant to muffle our voices while we were speaking. We were treated with unbelievable disrespect.”

“This is what my cousin Wasté Win Young said: "This is what we are up against here. Similarly, it is what those who want to protect unči maka are up against world wide. It's not all fun and games. There are no cameras allowed in those meetings otherwise we would put blastation to the nation up. It is legit getting "gobdah'd"--putting our experiences out there and getting fed to the sharks. Must be thick skinned and ready to duel. Naye FR though. There are genuine people who listen that have the power to change things and those are the ones we need to get to, those are the targets--in a good way they said. Never been so happy to leave Pairee.”

Nataanii said, “I saw first hand the evil. This is a huge fight. We have to go from all angles. I never felt rage like that before. They had security at my side at all times too. Even followed me to the bathroom. I am not the threat here. Your investments are!”

Thank you to Rachel Heaton, Nataaanii Means, Waste Win Young, Rafaeal Gonzales, Paris supporters , water protectors, and photographers for sharing with Censored News.

Update: Water Protectors led parade of 12,000 in Brussels today, calling out: "Trump has got to go!" in Brussels:

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/05/standing-rock-water-protectors-lead.html

Protest 'Trump Not Welcome'
https://standupwithstandingrock.noblogs.org/brunssels-may-24th-may-27th

Below -- Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, on news interview in Paris, 
with Standing Rock resistance images on air.

Tour expanded to 11 cities Through JuNe 20, 2017

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From May 20th till June 20th, some activists of the Standing Rock’s movement will come to Europe for a solidarity tour called “Stand Up With Standing Rock”. 

Native American Water Protectors Begin European Tour in Paris

Native American Water Protectors Begin European Tour in Paris

More photos at:

 http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/05/photos-standing-rock-water-protectors.html?m=0

In Paris, water protector Juan B. Mancias
Tribal Chairman at 'Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas

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"Yesterday we were welcoming the Water Protectors from USA, Rachel Heaton, Nataanii Means, Wasté Win Young, Rebekah Hinojosa, Juan B. Mancias and Rafael Gonzalez, with some first actions." Photo courtesy Stand Up with Standing Rock.

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Solidarity with Water Protectors in Paris yesterday.

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Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot

Rachel Heaton, member of the Muckleshoot Nation in Washington State, said of the photo above, "Some of the awesome organizers we get to tour around with.. it is the work of 24 organizations that got us Water Protectors here. Upon arriving in Paris we went right into actions. There is so much organizing going on here in Europe and it's exciting being a part of it." Photo by Rachel Heaton.

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Nataani Means, Dineh

Nataani Means, Dine' from Chinle on the Nation Nation, said, "We're about to hit an eleven city tour in Europe. Doing divestment work, as well as performing music in each city of the tour. We're gonna continue waking people up to what's going on not only with the destruction of Mother Earth but educating about our communities, what we go thru. And what we're still facing on our nations. When I started doing music this is what I wanted to do it for. Educate people about who we are in the 21st century. Prayers to everyone traveling, it's gonna be tough cause I really haven't been home in a minute and we just finished a two month tour here on turtle island. Myself and these beautiful people will do our best to represent in a powerful way."

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 Waste Win Young, Dakota from Standing Rock

has just arrived in Paris. Young was among those camped and resisting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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Water Protector Rafael Gonzales

Four additional cities are joining the Tour ! Water Protectors will come in Paris, Brussels, the Netherlands, Köln, Geneva, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Bologna, Rome and Naples. Be ready friends ! Quatre villes s'ajoutent à la Tournée des Défenseur.e.s de l'eau. Ils passeront donc à Paris, Bruxelles, les Pays-Bas, Cologne, Genève, Barcelone, Madrid, Bilbao, Bologne, Rome et Naples. Soyez prêt.e.s les ami.e.s !

Standing Rock Water Protector European Tour and Schedule

From May 20th till June 14th, some activists of the Standing Rock’s movement will come to Europe for a solidarity tour called “Stand Up With Standing Rock”.

In Standing Rock, North Dakota, United States, the so called “water protectors” fought against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Thanks to months of non-violent resistance gathering people from all over the country and from various backgrounds, they put a stop to the project during the Obama administration. But as Trump got the presidency, he decided to defend his own financial interest by sending the army to evacuate the Oceti Sakowin camp, build in the pipeline route. One month after, the oil was flowing inside the pipeline. But the fight is not over, as the water protectors took care of spreading it all over the Turtle Island (North America) and are now willing to spread it all over the world.

Native Solidarity Tour Europe May 20 -- June 14, 2017

Native Activists Head to Europe for Solidarity Tour

By Last Real Indians

From May 20th till June 14th, some activists of the Standing Rock’s movement will come to Europe for a solidarity tour called “Stand Up With Standing Rock”.

In Standing Rock, North Dakota, United States, the so called “water protectors” fought against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Thanks to months of non-violent resistance gathering people from all over the country and from various backgrounds, they put a stop to the project during the Obama administration. But as Trump got the presidency, he decided to defend his own financial interest by sending the army to evacuate the Oceti Sakowin camp, build in the pipeline route. One month after, the oil was flowing inside the pipeline. But the fight is not over, as the water protectors took care of spreading it all over the Turtle Island (North America) and are now willing to spread it all over the world.

For the Stand Up With Standing Rock tour, Rachel Heaton, Nataanii Means, Wašté Win Young and Rafael Gonzales, will carry the voices of the water protectors to various parts of Europe: Paris, Brussels, the Netherlands, Cologne/Bonn, Geneva, Barcelona and Madrid.

Their passage through Europe will be the occasion to demand that European banks divest from an array of projects which are devastating for the climate and violate the First Nations Rights (the DAPL being one of them); and to show once again the European peoples’ firm opposition to Trump’s criminal climate policies. With non-violent actions of civil disobedience, conferences, debates, and also hip-hop concerts, informal exchanges and conviviality, the tour aims to participate in the building of a global force which commits itself to climate justice, and to oppose fascism and neoliberalism.

During the tour, the water protectors will participate in a lot of special events. In Paris, they will attend the shareholders assemblies of the big French banks who are funding the DAPL to ask them to divest and will held a conference on May 22th at la Bourse du Travail at 7:30pm.

In Brussels, they will participate in the big march against Trump on May 24th starting at 5pm in the North Station and on May 25th in the morning at the Peace Rally ” No to NATO – People not war”, a peacefull gathering in front of the NATO summit. They will also take part in a solidarity action and public event in areas affected by earthquakes in Grongingen before engaging in a cultural event on June 2nd in Amsterdam.

In Germany, on June 4th at 2 pm, a public tour is organised to the hambacher forest occupation against the expansion of the lignite Coal mine. In Geneva, Swiss people will be invited by Standing Rock water defenders to demand Credit Suisse divestment and to give voice to first nations in the UN Special Session on Corporate Responsibility. After a meeting with representatives of human rights and environmental Spain-based organisations, DAPL divestment will be the centre of a conference on June 9th in Madrid.

Rachel Heaton will participate to the Fearless Cities Meeting organized by the Spanish municipalist movement from June 9th to June 11th in Barcelona. Other stops may be still added to this tour, stay tuned!

To get more details about the tour and the complete programme of each stop, please follow it on
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StandUpForStandingRock/
Twitter @StandUpWithSR

or on the blog: https://standupwithstandingrock.noblogs.org/

Photo : Julie Brunet