Victory for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Leaders: Federal Judge Throws Out Temporary Restraining Order

from Native News Online

On Friday, September 16, 2016, a U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland threw out a temporary restraining order field by Dakota Access, LLC against Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II and other tribal officials.

The lawsuit was filed last month against the Standing Rock Sioux tribal officials for “interfering” with the Dakota Access pipeline on ancestral tribal land.

Archambault and others were arrested for trespassing. This temporary restraining order lawsuit is separate from the charges brought against the chairman and others arrested.

On Friday, Judge Hovland ruled the previous order was “simply an ‘obey-the-law’ injunction.” He said he expects the tribal official will demonstrate in a peaceful manner.

In the meantime, some 5,000 land protectors are still at the encampment near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. Many have vowed to stay there as long as it takes to stop the Dakota Access pipeline.