Duluth Stands Against Line 3

(Duluth, MN) On Sunday morning, dozens of people marched through downtown Duluth in protest of the Line 3 pipeline. The group gathered near the shore of Gitchigami (Lake Superior) before marching through the downtown area, led by Indigenous Water Protectors. The group stopped in front of the Duluth branch of Wells Fargo drawing attention to the bank’s investment in fossil fuel infrastructure projects like Line 3. Across the street from Wells Fargo, a banner was dropped from a parking garage that read “Stop Line 3 For Future Generations!” This march and banner drop are among a growing number of actions taken in opposition of Line 3. Construction faces active and growing resistance led by Indigenous groups who see the project as a violation of treaty rights. 

As the march culminated outside of Wells Fargo, a Water Protector from the assembled crowd spoke, saying "This bank feeds all sorts of money into that black snake. We're going to lop the head off of it, there will be nothing left when we're done. We fight with a prayer in our hearts. A prayer isn't just words you say, though it can be. Prayer is action. Prayer is gathering together in community like this. It's taking care of those that need help. Realizing that true wealth comes not from money but from kindness and generosity and lifting up our fellow people."  A recent report identified Wells Fargo as the bank with the third most fossil fuel investments in the world, and they are also a lead financier of the tar sands industry. 

Line 3 is a $4 billion dollar oil pipeline currently being built across Northern Minnesota by the Canadian corporation Enbridge Energy. Since the project was proposed in 2014, a growing resistance movement has fought to stop construction of Line 3. The movement to stop Line 3 cites many reasons why they oppose the project. Many claim that the project violates Anishinaabe treaty rights, threatening land and water ecosystems that should be protected for those communities. Construction of oil pipelines is also highly correlated with increased rates of human trafficking for Indigenous communities in the surrounding area. Line 3 would carry tar sands oil from Hardisty, Alberta to Superior Wisconsin. Many who oppose the project also cite concerns about the continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure while the earth’s climate is changing.

Crowd marches beneath banner reading “Stop Line 3 For Future Generations!” in Duluth, Minnesota.