Law Enforcement Officials Warn Obama: Locals May Turn On Anti-Pipeline Protesters
http://dailycaller.com/2016/12/12/law-enforcement-officials-warn-obama-locals-may-turn-on-anti-pipeline-protesters/
By Kerry Picket, Reporter
1:16 PM 12/12/2016
North Dakota law enforcement officials, who have been dealing with violent anti-pipeline protesters, accused President Obama of willfully ignoring their requests for help and warned that fed-up local groups are preparing to take matters into their own hands against the protesters.
Morton County, N.D. Sheriff Kyle L. Kirchmeier sent a letter to Obama Friday stating that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' recent decision not to grant a permit for a portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline "has done nothing to ease the tension or alleviate the potential for more violence."
Kirchmeier wrote that he has asked the White House multiple times for "financial assistance and additional manpower" to "respond to the increasingly dangerous situation developing on federal land owned by the Corps."
So far, local law enforcement agencies have been the only ones handling the protests against the pipeline.
"To be clear, these protests are a series of federal problems that have been foisted upon the citizens and law enforcement officers of North Dakota," he wrote.
Kirchmeier warned of a "tragic" result if local law enforcement does not receive federal assistance.
"Community sentiment has turned volatile and there are too many discussions where local groups speak of the possibility to take matters into their own hands," the Morton County sheriff wrote. "We have repeatedly spoken out against these ideas, but genuinely fear emotions are running too high and this situation could lead to tragic consequences."
"The federal government's response to the events in our community has been appalling, and it is abundantly clear they have no interest in helping the citizens of North Dakota. Frankly, our federal leaders should be ashamed of their lack of response to a dangerous crisis currently in progress on their own soil. Each day this lack of response continues only serves to empower criminal protestors and support lawlessness in the name of radical political agendas," Kirchmeier wrote.
"Our officers are facing direct and overt threats, not just to themselves but to their families, and the lack of intervention or sympathy from the federal government is truly staggering."
"But it is not just law enforcement who the federal government has abandoned, the true victims are the peaceful citizens of North Dakota. These are people whose right to simply move freely throughout their community - without fear of intimidation, harassment, and violence - is being infringed upon. Tasks as simple as going to the bank or allowing school children play outside during recess have become a daily trial for the local community here," Kirchmeier wrote.
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