Three Line 3 Protesters Arrested After Climbing Inside Pipe at Worksite

Three Line 3 pipeline protesters were arrested earlier this week for climbing inside a pipe at a worksite and staying in there for six hours, despite dispersal orders from law enforcement.

The incident happened in Huntersville Township, located 15 miles east of Menahga. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 11 on Tuesday morning on a report of about 30 individuals demonstrating at the worksite with some climbing on equipment and pipes at the site. Dispersal orders were given to the group of demonstrators that were trespassing on pipeline property.

Most left the area, but three remained inside the pipe. The section of pipe was approximately 2,000-feet long and the three individuals were approximately 70 feet inside the east end of the pipe. Additional dispersal orders were given to the individuals inside the pipe, but they refused to leave and stayed in the pipe for about six hours.

At around 5:30 PM, the three individuals exited the pipe without incident. They were taken into custody by law enforcement, medically cleared by medical personnel on scene, and transported to the Wadena County Jail.

The three individuals were held in custody on probable cause for gross misdemeanor trespassing. None were from the area. They were identified as 20-year-old Trinity Shaw-Stewart of Medford, OR, 22-year-old Bonnie Hoekstra of St. Paul, and 26-year-old Jack Keenan of Stevens Point, WI.