Neal Preston; Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty ImagesMembers of the music community are standing up for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Queen guitarist Brian May and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason are among the many musicians whohave signed an open letter expressing their support for the protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The letter, which was organized by British musician Kate Nash, is addressed to President Barack Obama, the Department of Justice and Army Corps of Engineers. “We are writing to express our shock at the treatment of the people of Standing Rock Sioux in North Dakota,” the letter begins.
“We are deeply disturbed by the police actions that have been taking place,” it continues. “Where non violent protests have been and continue to be met with extremely aggressive tactics including; being shot with water canons in below freezing temperatures, chemical weapons, rubber bullets, and attack dogs. These are the same inhumane methods used during WWII and the Civil Rights Movement.”
Other artists who signed the letter include longtime Who touring drummer Zak Starkey, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, X, Moby, Sia, Billy Bragg, Garbage‘s Shirley Manson, members of such modern-rock acts as Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Paramore, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fitz and the Tantrums and many more.
You can read the entire letter now on RollingStone.com.
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