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History of #NoDAPL at Standing Rock
The historic Indigenous-led #NoDAPL movement at Standing Rock galvanized Indigenous Peoples and allies around the world to defend the Water and treaty rights.
- Overview: A Decade of Defense, Documentation & Resistance
The #NoDAPL movement brought together Indigenous Nations, environmental defenders, and allies from around the world in a unified stand to protect the Missouri River and uphold the inherent sovereignty and treaty rights of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. When militarized police, private security firms, and state agencies escalated violence against unarmed Water Protectors, WPLC mobilized to provide direct legal support and long-term representation.
Between 2016–2020, WPLC represented over 800 Water Protectors charged for their participation in prayer, assembly, and land defense. This became one of the largest coordinated protest defense efforts in recent U.S. history. As repression intensified, WPLC brought Dundon v. Kirchmeier, a federal class-action lawsuit challenging the unconstitutional use of water cannons, explosive munitions, and chemical weapons against people gathered at Backwater Bridge.
Beyond police violence, Water Protectors faced surveillance and retaliation by fossil fuel corporations. WPLC intervened in Energy Transfer Partners v. Greenpeace, exposing the use of corporate SLAPP suits to intimidate environmental movements. In parallel, we documented the actions of TigerSwan, a private security firm that deployed counterinsurgency tactics, psychological operations, and unlawful cross-border surveillance against Indigenous-led resistance.
At the heart of the legal fight remains Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where WPLC now serves as counsel of record in the D.C. Circuit. The case challenges the federal government’s approvals that allow the Dakota Access Pipeline to operate without a lawful Environmental Impact Statement and in violation of treaty rights and environmental law.
To ensure this history is not erased, WPLC is developing the Standing Rock Public Archive, a growing repository of documents, litigation records, police weapon logs, intelligence files, oral histories, and movement-generated materials. The archive protects the truth of what happened and supports research, accountability, and future human rights work.
WPLC remains committed to the sovereignty and safety of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and to all Water Protectors who stood—and continue to stand—to defend the Missouri River and the lands and peoples of the Oceti Sakowin.
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