By: Claire Bernish
Four stars from the movie, The Avengers, have now joined forces to demand President Barack Obama pay attention to abuses and excessive force being used against the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other water protectors fighting construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, and Chris Evans have teamed up to use their celebrity status on behalf of Native Americans concerned the pipeline’s route under the Missouri River could poison drinking water for both the reservation and at least 18 million people downstream.
Members of the Standing Rock Sioux are also particularly concerned further construction by Energy Transfer Partners endangers sites sacred to the tribe, some of which tribal historians had been unable to assess until recently due to previously longstanding lack of permission from now-private property owners.
All four Avengers have taken to social media in the past month to encourage others to share their support of opposition to the pipeline. As Ruffalo, who plays The Hulk in the film, said in a recent video:
“Take a stand for our brothers and sisters in #StandingRock! Join me in telling @barackobama to just say #NoDAPL. Period. Sign the petition and #StandWithStandingRock at the link in my bio.”
Thor actor Hemsworth shared a photo in full costume holding a sign which read, “We stand with Standing Rock #WaterisLife #NoDAPL #MniWiconi.”
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