In East Texas, TransCanada, a multinational energy corporation, has transformed property surrounding the easement it has control over for construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline into a police state, according to the Tar Sands Blockade. Enlisted off-duty police officers are intimidating, harassing and arresting just about anyone they think is trespassing, even if those people happen to be on property they own. And, officers who are acting as armed henchmen for TransCanada have arrested three journalists in the past twenty-four hours for simply being there to report on resistance to the pipeline construction.

The Tar Sands Blockade has been resisting construction of the pipeline for sixteen days. The Blockade has a tree village and are up along a timber wall. They have materials and supplies so they can stand in the way of TransCanada’s attempts to destroy forest and land to build a pipeline for the distribution of tar sands oil. In the past week, police have surrounded the area preventing any supplies, like food or water, from getting to Blockaders. Though the Blockaders currently have what they need, they are isolated and the police have no interest in their health or well-being.

A “marquee journalist,” according to Tar Sands Blockade spokesperson Ron Seifert, was placed under arrest around 1:30 PM this afternoon. The journalist approached the right of way or easement on private property, where he had permission to be and did not get “within thirty or forty feet of the boundary before he was handcuffed” and told he was trespassing. Though he was released after a few phone calls and not fully arrested, it was emblematic of “the level of oppression” going on in and around the area. [UPDATE - 3:00 PM EST on October 11 - NPR reports the journalist handcuffed was with the New York Times and was with a photographer, who was also handcuffed.]

The police, some hours later, “sealed off all press access to the tree blockade.” Freedom of the press is now being completely obstructed, with police refusing to allow any press access to observe and report on the blockade.

Last night, Elizabeth (@occupymusician) and Lorenzo (@uneditedcamera), who are both live streamers, were arrested. The two had traveled to cover the Blockade as freelance journalists.
...

In East Texas, activists protesting the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline are continuing their attempts to block tree-clearing efforts for a third week amid reported crackdowns against journalists. Two reporters embedded with the activists were arrested and held overnight before charges against them were dropped. Activists say TransCanada, the company behind the oil pipeline, is paying local police to provide security. Two journalists from the New York Times were also held in handcuffs before being released. Activists with the Tar Sands Blockade say they are attempting to the protect the environment and local water supplies from toxic tar sands oil.

Ron Seifert, of Tar Sands Blockade (tarsandsblockade.org) explains his groups work in direct action against construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in Texas, how police are engaging in major acts of brutality against demonstrators and the misuse of Imminent domain in seizing private land for the pipeline...