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Tell Police to Respect the Right to Protest at Standing Rock | ||||||
Dear friends, Today I'm going to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation as a human rights observer to monitor the response of police to those opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline. I have been twice before and what I have seen deeply disturbed me. Police have used excessive force against peaceful human rights defenders, confronting men, women and children with military gear and military-grade weapons. Peaceful protest is a human right. Stand up for those rights - send a message to Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier demanding law enforcement officers respect international human rights when policing the pipeline protests. We need to stand up for human rights now more than ever. President-Elect Trump has promised to fast track pipeline construction in his first 100 days, and we are very concerned about the right to peaceful protest under his administration based on what he has said during the election campaign. Under international human rights standards, police should seek to de-escalate tensions and facilitate--not hinder--the right to peaceful protest. Police have instead treated the situation as a battlefield, with military grade armored vehicles, machine guns, surveillance and riot gear. The people gathered near Standing Rock want to defend the rights of Indigenous people and protect the rights to water and a clean environment. They should not be treated like the enemy. Take action. Add your voice to Amnesty's, calling for the police to protect the human rights of peaceful activists at Standing Rock. Amnesty International has a history of monitoring protests and police conduct, and now more than ever, we will work to ensure that communities in Standing Rock and across the globe can exercise their human right to peaceful protest safely. Show the people at Standing Rock that there is overwhelming support for their right to peaceful protest. Sign now. Thank you for standing strong for human rights for all. Sincerely, Zeke Johnson Individuals at Risk Program Amnesty International USA | ||||||
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» Tell Police to Respect the Right to Protest at Standing Rock
