Lee County veterans set to protest Dakota Access Pipeline

Published: Updated:

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Several veterans from Lee County are headed to North Dakota on Wednesday to bring clothing, blankets, food and medical supplies to people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Thousands have joined the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in opposition to the proposed 1,200-mile project that would transport as many as 570,000 barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakota to Illinois. The tribe says it would pass through a sacred burial ground and contaminate their drinking water.

Andrew Bankey, an Army veteran who served two deployments in Iraq, is excited to help protesters.

“After 36 years, I’m going to finally serve my country,” he said.

Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota’s governor, ordered the protesters to leave due to the weather, but the veterans are determined to get there.

“Us as citizens and veterans and human beings need to stand up against this,” said Marine Corp veteran Suzanne Magee.

Despite evacuation orders, the Army Corps and law enforcement said they will not forcibly remove protesters from their camps.

The veterans are accepting donations at this address:
Andrew Bankey
Standing Rock Donations
VFW Post 8463
4709 S.E. 11th Place
Cape Coral, FL

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