Randy Blythe of Lamb of God
Randy Blythe on stage in Las Vegas Getty

Randy Blythe, the vocalist for heavy metal band Lamb of God, has announced that he's forgoing the warm waters of Virginia and North Carolina for his time off touring to join ongoing protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

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The site of the proposed pipeline has seen continuing demostrations by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe who say it running so close to their reservation would risk their water supply and endanger sacred sites.

On Sunday night (20 November), tear gas and water cannons were used against around 400 protesters who said they were attempting to access sacred tribal land.

Demonstrators were reportedly soaked while in freezing temperatures and rubber bullets were fired into the crowd.

Blythe posted on Instagram saying that he is "a true son of the South Eastern Coast of the United States" but he was giving up time he would usually spend surfing and fishing between tours to drive down and help protesters.

"As a surfer, I know that all of our planet's water is connected," Blythe wrote, "and that you cannot poison a river without it eventually leading to the sea."

"I am going because there are people trying to stop a river from being poisoned, & they need firewood, coffee, wool blankets, winter sleeping bags, & strong hands that know how to swing an ax- I have those things, so I am driving them there."

Blythe said he would be travelling along with a Native American friend: "We come in peace, but make no mistake - we are coming in full effect, & we are coming to stand with you."

I am a surfer, and a true son of the South Eastern Coast of the United States. This means I spend a lot of time in the relatively warm waters of Virginia & North Carolina; in fact I spend as much time in those waters as possible given my job as a touring musician- whenever I can I ride waves, I fish, & I swim in the ocean. I have not been able to surf for a few months now because of touring with 2 different bands, & I am dying to go catch a wave. So now when I am finally off tour, why am I going far inland to freezing North Dakota (of all places), where people are getting tear gassed & arrested, instead of to the much warmer beach to chill? I am going because as a surfer, I know that all of our planet's water is connected, and that you cannot poison a river without it eventually leading to the sea. I am going because there are people trying to stop a river from being poisoned, & they need firewood, coffee, wool blankets, winter sleeping bags, & strong hands that know how to swing an ax- I have those things, so I am driving them there. I am going & bringing my Ojibwe bro David so that he can hoist his tribal flag & represent his people, & I can represent the South Eastern punk rock wave riders. I am going because I have been planning this for weeks, my heart tells me it is the right thing to do, & my spirit is restless & will not sit still inside of me until I do something besides talk about how horrible it is we are destroying our planet. So people of Standing Rock, @rollingcloud1 & I are on our way from Minnesota- we come in peace, but make no mistake- we are coming in full effect, & we are coming to stand with you. #nodapl #waterislife #hokahey

A photo posted by D. Randall Blythe (@drandallblythe) on