UNBC students out on bail after arrests at North Dakota protest
Posted October 30, 2016 9:55 pm.
Last Updated October 30, 2016 10:07 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PRINCE GEORGE (NEWS 1130) – Two University of Northern BC students who were arrested last week at the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest in North Dakota have now been granted bail.
But their Master’s research supervisor is worried about the charges the women now may have to deal with.
Sarah de Leeuw, assistant professor of the Northern Medical Program, says her students, Nicole Schafenacker and Katriona Auerbach, headed down to North Dakota because they share a passion for social justice, and understand the link between indigenous health, which they study, and the land.
She says they were arrested during a prayer circle.
“These were not women out to engage in nefarious criminal activities. They were out to follow their conscience and follow their heart on an issue any globally-concerned citizen has high emotions about.”
The instructor says charges are pending against the two that involve trespassing and a conspiracy-related offence – something she fears could have serious criminal consequences.
“It’s worrisome that our citizens can go down to the US and be potentially charged and jailed and we don’t know the implications coming back into this country.”
She says the two have to be back in North Dakota in December to answer to the charges.
Thousands have joined the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe over the last few months to try to stop construction of the $3.8 billion US pipeline, slated to move oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa.
