Breaking the law not welcome in Clearbrook
Wed, 12/04/2019 - 11:52am
admin
Breaking the law. That’s what the latest protest in Clearwater County was all about. But, per usual, the protestors are trying to flip the story to benefit themselves (literally).
On Monday, Nov 25, roughly 20 out-of-town protestors trespassed at the Enbridge Terminal in Clearbrook, Minn., erected a 30-foot teepee whereby one of the protestors climbed up and proceeded to stay there for more than four hours. They parked dozens of cars along the road (which caused problems for local residents) and blocked the gate to the Terminal. They wanted to prevent Enbridge employees from getting to work and they would not leave, despite repeated requests from the Sheriff’s Department. More than twenty emergency personnel from Clearwater and Beltrami Counties were called to the scene and stayed for the duration of the four-hour “peaceful protest.”
It’s November and on this particular day in northern Minnesota, there was a mix of snow and rain and the roads were slick. Undoubtedly, Sheriff Department personnel could have been used elsewhere for real emergencies, unlike the manufactured one in Clearbrook by people who drove hundreds of miles to protest crude oil pipelines. When it was time for the woman atop the teepee to be arrested for trespassing, protestors berated and screamed profanities at the Sheriff personnel as they considered removal options for the very person who put herself in harm’s way. They demanded local resources be deployed to protect her safety.
Because the protestors are from metropolitan areas, they likely are unaware that our local fire department is composed of 100 percent volunteers, all of whom were at work that day. Funny enough, when it was going to take longer to get additional resources to the site (at the Clearwater County taxpayer’s expense), the protestor decided to simply climb down. Throughout the entire charade, protestors live-streamed the event, asking for donations for legal fees, before anyone had even been arrested.
We are proud people in Clearwater County. We choose to live in this area where we know our neighbors and support our community. We embrace the right for everyone to have an opinion and be able to share that opinion through free speech. Notably, our City Council just signed the Respect Minnesota pledge, part of which states “we will be held accountable for words and actions and will abide by the law.”
We understand the passion around Enbridge – we are passionate, too – except we are in support of the company that employs our residents, boosts our local businesses and is a large part of our tax capacity. We ask that these out-of-town protestors respect our position, our residents and our local law enforcement. Next time, please do your fundraising where you live and leave Clearbrook out of it.
Jeff Basinger,
Clearbrook, MInn.