Feb 20, 2017 - Germans Demand Bavarian Bank Bayern LB to Divest from the Dakota Access Pipeline

On February 17th, people took to the streets of Berlin to demand their publicly owned bank Bayern LB to divest from the Dakota Access pipeline.

“People took to the streets on Friday, February 17th in Berlin, Germany to call on the publicly owned Bavarian bank Bayern LB to divest $120 million from the Dakota Access Pipeline. Chants of “Wasser Ist Leben // Water is Life” echoed up the marble buildings lining Friedrichstrasse in solidarity with Water Protectors at Standing Rock and around the world.” ~Andrea Marcos

Photos from Berlin action

Photos by Andrea Marcos

Photos by Andrea Marcos

Photos by Andrea Marcos

Photos by Andrea Marcos

Prior to the rally, Berlin organizers reached out to Seattle divestment campaign organizers for solidarity. The following letter was sent from Seattle organizers and read at the Berlin action.

“Solidarity statement from Seattle NoDAPL. Greetings to our relatives in Berlin. It is with great enthusiasm that we send our support to you in your efforts in getting BayernLB to divest from Energy Transfer Partners and the Dakota Access pipeline.

As you are aware, the Dakota Access pipeline is a multi-billion dollar 1,200 mile-long fracked oil pipeline that will run from Western North Dakota to Illinois on-route to the Gulf Coast for export. Along its route it crosses through the Lakota Nation’s treaty lands as defined by the 1851 Ft. Laramie Treaty, in violation of our treaty rights.

The pipeline’s route has also desecrated and destroyed numerous burial sites, cultural sites and sacred sites. Additionally, it will cross underneath the Missouri River at Lake Oahe, threatening our only source of drinking water.

In protest to the pipeline we have seen the establishment of camps to block the pipeline’s construction. The militarized response to water protectors has been brutal. To date, over 700 people have been arrested and subjected to attacks from dogs, water cannons (in freezing temperatures), rubber bullets and chemical weapons.

Now is a time of urgency, as our newly elected President has reversed the previous administrations Environmental Impact Statement study. Drilling underneath the river has begun. On February, 16, water protectors living at the camps were served an eviction notice and will be subjected to mass arrest and taking of personal property.

In Seattle, we decided to fight back by going after the banks funding the pipeline. Our city had banked with Wells Fargo, one of the largest financial backers of the pipeline. On February 7, we won a historic victory by getting our city government to divest over $3 billion from Wells Fargo! We are currently working with other cities around the country to do similar divestment actions.

We stand with Standing Rock and we stand with Berlin and look forward to celebrating your victory in getting BayernLB to divest from Energy Transfer Partners and the Dakota Access pipeline! MNI WICONI – Water is life!

In solidarity,

Matt Remle (Lakota)
Rachel Heaton (Muckleshoot)”

For more information about divestment from Bayern LB visit www.wasseristlebenberlin.wordpress.com