Almost 100 protesters gathered outside the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on Thursday morning, waving posters, beating drums and calling for Commissioner Kelcy Warren to step down.

The department increased security ahead of Thursday’s meeting after threats were made about Warren, the CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, the Dallas-based company that is building the Trans-Pecos pipeline in the Big Bend region and the Dakota Access pipeline in the Great Plains.

Both of these projects have sparked protests that have drawn national attention, particularly in the Dakotas where clashes emerged between Native American protesters and law enforcement officials.

Protesters in Austin, which included members of the state Sierra Club and the Society of Native Nations, said they were standing with the protesters in the Dakotas. The group gathered outside of the department’s headquarters as early as 8 a.m. on Thursday, chanting "Hey hey, ho ho, Kelcy Warren has got to go."

Jacalyn Hagans, a member of the Society of Native Nations, said they plan to be "a thorn in the department’s side" until Warren steps down or is removed from his post.

"We want to bring awareness about North Dakota and what’s going on here in Texas also," said Pete Hefflin, a member of the Society of Native Nations. "We want to let these people know that this man that owns a pipeline, he’s destroying Mother Earth and he’s sitting in a chair for the Parks. I don’t understand why he’s being allowed to do that when he’s destroying the earth. We’re here to try and see if we can get him off that chair, because he doesn’t belong there."

Warren was appointed to the commission by Gov. Greg Abbott last year.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesman Josh Havens said all protesters who sign up to testify before the commission will have three minutes to speak and must address a relevant agenda item.

"They can’t be disruptive to the meeting," Havens said. "We respect their opinion and we respect their right to voice their opinion and assemble, but they can’t be disruptive to the actual meeting."