Over 100 Eugene community members and University of Oregon students rallied in front of the Bank of America on the corner of 11th Avenue and Pearl Street on Friday afternoon to protest the bank’s perceived connection to the Dakota Access Pipeline.
If constructed, the $1.7 billion pipeline would stretch nearly 2,000 miles across four states, passing through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota.
A large group of demonstrators massed in front of Bank of America, located on 11th Avenue in downtown Eugene. (Christopher Trotchie / Emerald)
“Bank of America directly funds the Dakota Access Pipeline, so we’re trying to get people to divest, to take their money out,” said Anna Hoffer, co-director of UO’s Native American Student Union and a principal organizer of the event. “We’re here to be in solidarity with Standing Rock and the Sioux tribe.”
For two hours, the demonstrators waved signs with phrases like “defend the sacred,” chanted “Bank of America, you suck, you stole our future for a buck” and cheered when passing motorists responded with honks and shouts. Three private security guards from Bank of America and three Eugene Police officers looked on.
Kainoa Pilai, of Eugene’s SoJust Collective, led a group of protesters in chants that opposed the Bank of America’s involvement with the company building the oil pipeline through Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. (Christopher Trotchie / Emerald)
“We don’t like environmental racism and colonialism happening in our own country,” said UO student Brandon Ginkel.
Ginkel is one of several UO students who started a solidarity campaign to raise awareness and funds for the larger protest in North Dakota, which has garnered national attention. Another student involved in the campaign, Ryder Coen, travelled to the Standing Rock reservation to show solidarity earlier this term.
Janie Coverdell recently returned from Standing Rock Reservation to collect donations of food and clothing for the water protectors who plan to continue the stand through the winter. (Christopher Trotchie / Emerald)
“There’s so much support here today,” Hoffer said. “The amount of spirit everyone has is really heartwarming.”
UO’s Native American Student Union and Eugene’s SoJust Collective served as the event’s co-sponsors.
Kainoa Pilai of the SoJust Collective concluded the demonstration with a comment that elicited cheers from the demonstrators: “Native lives matter more than oil.”
Anna Hoffer, co-director of the Native American Student Union at the University of Oregon , lead demonstrators in a protest against Bank of America’s perceived business connections to Energy Transfer Partners, parent company to the Dakota Access Pipeline. The demonstrators urged passing motorists to not use the bank. (Christopher Trotchie \ Emerald)
