US accused of planning crackdown on pipeline protests
BILLINGS, Mont. — Civil liberties advocates sued the U.S. government Tuesday, alleging law enforcement agencies have been making preparations to crack down on anticipated protests over the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and its Montana affiliate filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Missoula against the Defence, Homeland Security, Interior and Justice departments.
They asked the court to order the release of all documents about co-operation over the pipeline between federal, state and local law enforcement and private security companies.
The groups cited confrontations between law enforcement and protesters, including many Native Americans, which turned violent during construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline through South Dakota.