Government officials say the five-month shutdown of a North Dakota highway during protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline was not aimed at manipulating the media or an American Indian tribe fighting the project.
Their argument comes in a lawsuit by Standing Rock Sioux tribal members and others who say the closure was aimed not only at protesters but also at influencing the tribe’s position and the media’s coverage. They seek unspecified monetary damages.
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Defense attorneys in recent court filings say the shutdown had nothing to do with any negotiations with the tribe or with impeding the press.
They say government officials shut down the highway in the interest of ensuring public safety and limiting disruptions to a project deemed by President Donald Trump to be in the national interest.
