President Donald Trump signed an executive action on Tuesday approving the Dakota Access Pipeline, which water protectors have been working to stop for months. In Albuquerque on Wednesday, people gathered outside the tall Wells Fargo bank Downtown to try and stanch the flow of money to the project known as DAPL.
Their signs said “Defend the sacred” and “I stand with Standing Rock.” Cody Artis said they’re urging customers—people and companies—to sever their relationship with Wells Fargo. The bank is invested in DAPL, and they’re hoping financial pressure will help stop the pipeline.
"A lot of the economic power lies in the banks," Artis said. "And once we get the banks to divest, we create a little chain reaction that goes down the line and affects a lot of big oil companies."
President Trump held shares in the company building the pipeline in North Dakota, though a spokesperson said he sold them late last year. The company’s CEO donated heavily to help get Trump elected.
Members of the crowd also objected to the leasing of lands near Chaco Canyon for oil and gas drilling, concerned about the impacts of fracking in the area.
