Protest Planned On OU Campus Against North Dakota Controversial Pipeline

More than 100 people are expected to gather on the University of Oklahoma campus Wednesday. They're protesting a controversial pipeline in North Dakota.

The protest is sponsored by OU students, according to their event page. The group said they plan on standing on campus almost 1,000 miles away from the people at Standing Rock Reservation who are fighting against the installation of a pipeline.

The group of students said the plans for the pipeline will affect 11 tribal nations right here in Oklahoma.

Student concern locally for the issue peaked after the recent 5.8 magnitude earthquake near Pawnee.

The quake has led the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to shutdown 32 Arbuckle wells near that area.

The students organizing the protest said OU campus is the perfect place because President David Boren has served on the board for Hiland Partners, a company they say is responsible for spilling hundreds of barrels of oil in North Dakota near their injection site in 2014.