In an effort to educate and show solidarity, a handful of individuals gathered at the corner of Ninth Street and Royal Gorge Boulevard on Friday as a way to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock.

The demonstration was put together by the Fremont County Democratic Party to coincide with nationwide protests that occurred Friday against the controversial pipeline, which could tunnel under the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s water supply in North Dakota.

In Washington D.C., Native American leaders and their allies rallied in the capital and marched toward the White House.

In an email from the Fremont County Democratic Party, Dave Archambault, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribes, called on Native relatives and allies to rise with them.

“We must march against injustice. Native nations cannot continue to be pushed aside to benefit corporate interests and government whim,” Archambault said.

In Cañon City, Raymond Moreno, Lee Ann Oliver and Cathryn Sounart held their signs and an American flag to show solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and with those protesting across the U.S.

Their signs read things such as “Water is Life,” and “Defend Native Rights.” Moreno, meanwhile waived an American flag that had a picture of a Native American warrior on it.

Sounart said the issue should be easy for people to support.

“We just want to stand with them and show we care,” she said.

Moreno, whose family comes from the Tohono O’odham tribe, said even if people in Fremont County don’t care about the issue, he still thinks it’s important to stand up for what he thinks is right.

“If it doesn’t touch them, they don’t care,” Moreno said, regarding anybody who thinks taking part in a demonstration for the cause is useless.

Sarah Matott: 719-276-7648, matotts@canoncitydailyrecord.com