UNBC has confirmed that two of its graduate students have been arrested in North Dakota at the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline protest.
“I don’t know too much yet,” says UNBC President Daniel Weeks. “I know that our two students have been arrested. I believe their arraignment is this morning. I have been in contact with at least one of the parents just to let them know that if there’s anything we can do to please reach out.”
Weeks says the school is doing all it can to defend its students rights.
“Assuming that there’s no criminal activity here -I believe our students were just down there exercising their consciences and I’m hopeful we can get them home soon.”
The students have been identified as Katriona Auerbach and Nicole Schafenacker.
“I will always defend the rights of our students, including Katriona and NIcole, to take a position, to exercise their rights to free speech, to peacefully assembler, to develop and foster informed opinions across a wide range of subject areas,” Weeks said in a statment released this morning. “I’m working with their advisor, Dr. Sarah de Leeuw, to see what can be done here to assist our students. Right now that’s about all I know for sure. These are always challenging situations.”
No word yet on what charges the two women are facing.