A Pyramid Lake Police Department officer is currently under investigation following an incident on Sunday where he drove through a barricade erected by climate activists on a local highway.
The blockade, which had caused a 10-mile traffic jam, was set up on the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation. Upon arrival at the scene, the police declared that the protesters were "trespassing on tribal land."
The five arrested protesters were not Nevada residents. Two hailed from New York, while the others were from Washington State, California, and Malta. They were subsequently arrested, cited, and released. The activists were affiliated with Seven Circles, a branch of Extinction Rebellion, an organization that asserts that human beings are detrimental to the planet.
Following the incident, which was recorded by Freedom News TV, the police issued a statement. It read, "The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Rangers were dispatched to State Route 447 mile marker 34 on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian reservation, a sovereign nation, in response to activists blocking the highway to protest environmental issues. Upon arrival, Rangers instructed the activists to clear the highway, which had caused a significant traffic backlog. One Ranger utilized his patrol vehicle to clear the blockade debris from the roadway to allow Burning Man traffic to proceed. The conduct of the involved Ranger is currently under review."
The climate activists had obstructed State Route 447 mile marker 34 on Sunday, hindering attendees from reaching Burning Man, a large desert gathering where participants construct massive structures over several days before setting them ablaze. Attendees bring trailers, food, water, and supplies for the desert event. The activists staged the road blockage in an attempt to ban single-use plastics and private jets from the gathering.
As the police drove their truck through the barrier, the Extinction Rebellion activists exclaimed, "we're non-violent!" and "we're environmental protesters!" to the officers. Burning Man attendees, frustrated with the roadblock, tried to convince the activists to move, but to no avail. The police were then called, and a Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Ranger arrived on the scene and drove through the barricade.
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