22 people arrested during line 3 protest Monday

Twenty-two protesters were arrested during a Line 3 protest in Aitkin County on Monday.

According to the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday morning, the sheriff’s office received a report that an Enbridge-leased right of way was being blocked by a cable. When Sheriff Dan Guida arrived, he observed that someone had put up a rope that blocked the right of way. The cable was also attached above a tree platform, compromising the integrity of the platform and risking its failure. A man had been living on the platform since Dec. 4.

"The situation required a response to protect the person’s life as one mistake could have caused the apparatus, and individual in the tree, to fall 30 feet to the frozen ground," Sheriff Guida stated.

After several attempts to have the man come down, a bucket truck was called to bring him down safely.

Monday afternoon, law enforcement were called to the 59000 block of Great River Road in Jacobson as a result of a protest where numerous people went into a "no trespassing" area. Along with the protesters on the ground, a man remained in a tree platform.

Fifty protesters blocked the right of way at the site of the man in the tree. The protesters were asked to leave and then ordered to leave, however, they refused. Dispersal orders were then given, which caused most of the protesters to leave the area, the sheriff’s office said.

Multiple more dispersal orders were given before officers walked around the group and secured a perimeter.

Sheriff Guida rode up in a bucket truck to help bring the man down from the tree. As the sheriff rode up, several people rushed from the woods and attempted to shut down the operation of the truck, according to the sheriff’s office. Three people were immediately arrested.

After the arrests, the occupant of the tree said he was ready to come down and fully cooperated with law enforcement.

As a result of the protest, 22 people were arrested and booked into the Aitkin County Jail on probable cause trespassing and unlawful assembly. One person was booked on probably cause obstructing the legal process with force and fourth-degree assault.

Of those arrested, four were from northern Minnesota, 13 were from the Twin Cities and five were from out of state.