When a giant oil company announced plans to build the 1,172-mile-long Dakota Access pipeline across watersheds and drinking water sources, it sparked massive protests led by members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The backlash was swift and brutal. Security guards attacked pipeline opponents with dogs. Protesters faced charges carrying up to 110 years in prison.
As part of its response, pipeline owner Energy Transfer hired TigerSwan, a security firm that collaborated with police and employed military-style surveillance and counterinsurgency tactics against the Indigenous-led protest movement.
The Intercept has covered the protests from the beginning and broken countless stories on TigerSwan’s counterinsurgency campaign against #NoDAPL activists. Now we’re suing to gain access to thousands of pages of public records about TigerSwan’s activities, but Energy Transfer is working with a hugely expensive New York law firm to stop us.
The legal battle has dragged on for more than a year, and we’ve already spent more than $100,000 on litigation. The courts have so far sided with us, but the fight isn’t over. Now we’re turning to readers like you to help continue our reporting.
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