The Native American tribe protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline has grown frustrated with the influx of "allies" to the campsite and have asked them to stay at home.
Organizers of the Sacred Stone Camp, where indigenous tribes have staged their fight against the pipeline, took to Facebook on Monday to tell people that their fight should not be used as a "photo op" or "resume builder," and that the influx of people is contributing to the "furthering of colonization."
"Please do not set up crowdfunding pages to simply bring yourself to Standing Rock if you are not coordinating with indigenous people on the ground," the group wrote. "We do not need you to come and save us, we need your prayers and your resources and your actions."
"Please look around yourself if you are at camp, and consider the dynamic. Are you creating space that is dominantly non-indigenous? If so, please consider that this is a furthering of colonization, and take action to step back, and recenter indigenous sovereignty," it wrote.
The group asked for people who had been raising money to travel to the protest site to simply donate it instead.
The plea was met with mixed reactions from allies, some who saw it as "contradictive and counterproductive."
"With all due respect..Your statement is contradictive and counterproductive," wrote Mark Cabot. "If you wish to gain support with the non indigenous population you're going to have to tone down on the Indigenous control. This concerns all..Not just Indigenous people...Saying you're better is no different than the oppressors you challenge. Many are mixed blood as well.. Many do not follow traditional ceremonies.. respect them as you would have them respect you."
"Jus sayun imo.. Solidarity! The racism needs to stop on all sides," Cabot concluded.
"Who is writing this ungracious post? I am witnessing 'white' citizens getting injured. Be careful," wrote Jerry Clarke, another commenter. "Everyone needs clean water. Stop telling courageous citizens to fuck off. You are not doing anybody any favors."
The most popular comments, however, defended the plea and questioned whether those who claimed to be offended were truly allies in the first place.
Ellen Rose Parker, in a post that was "liked" nearly 300 times, called for people to check their "white fragility."
"I"m white and for one, not offended by the request to question my own motives, so people please read the request carefully and please make efforts to check your white fragility," wrote Parker. "It doesn't state anywhere not to go out, but it does ask you to question your motives. If you can't be asked that in a grownup way without getting offended, respectfully, you don't belong out there."
"As a settler ally, if you are offended by this you are not an ally at all," wrote commenter Celeste Smith. "Being an ally is hard and if it doesn't make you humble or uncomfortable sometimes, you are doing it wrong. Indigenous people have taken their voices back and it's time to give us that respect. This is an INDIGENOUS lead action and should remain so. Time to check your privilege."
This is not the first time that members of the indigenous community voiced their frustration with the visiting protesters. Earlier this month, many natives to the area told CNN that they wished everybody would just go home.
"It irks me. People are here from all over the world," said Fool Bear, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux. "If they could come from other planets, I think they would."
"If [the Standing Rock Sioux Chairman] had any balls, he'd tell [the protesters] to go home," Fool Bear said.