“Not Protests…They’re Riots”: Cass County Sheriff on DAPL Protests

Woodley called the protest “peaceful”, but authorities disagree.

Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is helping with law enforcement at the protest sites and he called today’s actions a “riot”.

“While some would like to say this was a protest, this was not a protest this was a riot,” said Sheriff Laney. “When you have that many people engage in that kind of behavior, inciting others to break the law, cheering others on as they do break the law, refusing to leave when they’re asked to leave, that’s not a protest.”

The latest protests took place at a pipeline construction site about 2 miles south of St. Anthony, North Dakota.

The 1,100 mile pipeline would be the first to bring Bakken shale from North Dakota directly to refineries on the Gulf Coast.

The Sioux tribe opposes it saying it could ruin water supplies and disturb native burial grounds.