Traditional songs of prayer, smoke clouds of sage and signs proclaiming “Say NO to DAPL” filled the Chico City Plaza at a peaceful demonstration hosted by Chico350.org.

Chico residents were joined by supporters from as far as Reno to stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux and other protesters at the Dakota Access pipeline in Cannon Ball, North Dakota.

“This town is not on the reservation but it’s close, within a mile or a half mile of the reservation,” said the MC Sam White Swan-Perkins. “The problem is that this is privately owned treaty land that has been illegally accessed by the oil companies and against the landowners’ wishes.”

Demonstrators said the pipeline cuts through sacred lands, burial grounds and endangers water sources.

Alicia Adams, a Butte County resident and supporter who will be joining the demonstrators in North Dakota, said there are over 250 tribes represented in the protest in addition to the Standing Rock Sioux people.

“We are peaceful protestors,” Adams said. “We are here to save the water.”

Bianca Quilantan can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.