SOLWAY, Minn. – Faced with a massive protest, the oil pipeline company Enbridge evacuated 44 workers from a construction site on its new Line 3 route through Ojibwe tribal lands. A spokeswoman, Juli Kellner, said the evacuation was an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Enbridge will assess damage once its crews can safely re-enter areas held by protesters, Kellner said. About 2,500 protesters had gathered about 10 a.m. at the Mississippi River headquarters for a rally, then dispersed strategically to vulnerable construction points. Some chained themselves to equipment with other protesters in a loose perimeter to ward off authorities. Although the U.S.-Canadian border is 90 miles sway, a U.S. Border Patrol helicopter made repeated sweeps as low as 20 feet on behalf of Enbridge to stir up dust and dirt to discourage protesters. By nightfall, state police and sheriff’s officers had made 30 arrests. Activists at a pump station site pitched tents to spend the night. They unspooled hundreds of feet of wire for a makeshift barrier of trees and twigs to prevent overnight police raids.
Equipment as hostage. Activists taking claim to heavy equipment at Enbridge’s Line 3 ditch.
Faith protesters. A contingent of 350 faith-driven protesters in the morning march to the Mississippi headwaters.