Beating drums and chanting, hundreds of people marched through downtown London Wednesday afternoon in solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux Nation's blockade of a controversial oil pipeline in North Dakota.
The march, heavily attended by members of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, began at the Western Fair District at 2pm. It travelled up Ontario St., and turned onto Dundas St. before reaching Harris Park.
"Our people have to resort to hollering and screaming, walking down the road to get our voices heard nowdays. It's really sad," said Organizer Darryl Chrisjohn.
Indigenous groups and supporters from across North America have been camped out at the Dakota Access pipeline site since April. They argue the pipeline is a threat to the Missouri River, the main water supply for the Standing Rock Sioux Nation.
"We are standing with our brothers and sisters in Dakota because water is so precious to us all," said Chrisjohn. "It's over 80% of every one of us in our body. Water is life, not just for the Indigenous people but the entire human race."
Chrisjohn believes this march will give those in Dakota the strengthen to carry the protest on through the cold, harsh winter.
"We are doing this to show them we are here for them too. Even though we are not there for them physically, we are there spiritually," said Chrisjohn. "It's children and women who are on the front line there, not just men, not just warriors. They are all water protectors."
The 1,885km pipeline, worth $3.8-billion, would carry crude oil from the Bakken oil field across four states to the U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.
Emilena Cornelius was proud to join the London solidarity march.
"If you're not part of the change, you're part of the problem," said Cornelius. "We can't create drinking water, we can try to clean it but once the damage is done, the damage is done. We can't drink oil."
London police escorted the peaceful march throughout the downtown without issue. Many vehicles honked and people cheered in support.
