President Obama has spoken. He has spoken through the Army Corps of Engineers, and what he has said is "get off your land." The eviction is set to take effect on December 5, one day after hundreds of military veterans are set to arrive at Standing Rock in order to protect the Dakota Access Pipeline protestors.
Jordan Chariton, of The Young Turks, tweeted the announcement released by the corps, which makes it clear that the federal government has no intention of standing up to Energy Transfer Partners, which owns the DAPL.
"The Corps of Engineers has established a free speech zone on land south of the Cannonball River for anyone wishing to peaceably protest the Dakota Access pipeline project, subject to the rules of 36 C.F.R. Part 327. Any person found to be on the Corps' lands north of the Cannonball River after December 5, 2016, will be considered trespassing and may be subject to prosecution under federal, state, and local laws. Furthermore, any person who chooses to stay on these Corps' lands north of the Cannonball River does so at their own risk, and assumes any and all corresponding liabilities for their unlawful presence and occupation of such lands."