Filmmakers Say They Were Assaulted by #NoDAPL Protesters: “It Was a Terrifying 30 Minutes.”
UPDATE: Here’s video of the incident.
Filmmakers Phelim McAleer and Magdalena Segieda visited the camps protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline today and, according to a post on their Facebook page, they were assaulted and trapped in their car for a half an hour.
Here is their full account. They’re promising video at some point:
I have reached out to Morton County law enforcement, as well as the public relations team for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, for comment. I’ll update with any information I receive.
If this account is accurate it’s not the first time a film crew has been accosted by #NoDAPL protesters. A week ago Bismarck-based NBC affiliate KFYR broadcast video of one of their news crews being threatened by protesters near one of the pipeline’s construction sites.
UPDATE: Just got this description of the incident from Morton County spokeswoman Donnell Preskey:
Two journalists – a male and female from CA along with a videographer from Bismarck, ND arrived to the area 10/17
They followed the protests on 10/17 with no issues.
They were invited to come to the camp on 10/18.
The male reporter was interviewing campers when a person got upset by the line of questioning and tried to grab the journalists microphone.
There was an altercation between the protesters at the camp and the journalists.
Those identified as camp security told the journalists they had to leave but couldn’t until they turned over their footage.
The journalists were able to get into their vehicle and locked it. IT was then surrounded by protesters who pounded on the vehicle and rocked it and continued to threaten them unless they turned over the video.
Vehicles from the protest camp even blocked in the journalists vehicle preventing them from being able to drive away.
The three victims called 9-1-1 for help.
Eventually, they were able to drive to the gate at the camp entrance – although the gate was closed and blocked by a vehicle. It wasn’t until officers arrived that camp security cooperated and allowed the journalists to leave.
They were brought to the Morton County Sheriff’s department and interviewed. They told the officer they were “scared for their life.”