Dakota Access Pipeline
Police use a water cannon on protesters during a protest against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota Stephanie Keith/ Reuters

People celebrating Thanksgiving are being urged to show solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe this year.

Water protectors at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, which they say threatens to contaminate the safety of the water supply and impact sacred sites in the area.

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The 1,172-mile (1,890 km) pipeline, which crosses three major rivers, is being built by a group of companies led by Energy Transfer Partners.

Protests against the development have seen people tear-gassed and sprayed with water cannons as authorities attempt to allow construction to continue.

This Thanksgiving, many people around the US are sharing their support for the Standing Rock water protectors with tweets, donations and phone calls, while others pointed out the irony of celebrating Thanksgiving while Native Americans were still facing violence and battling to protect land.

Celebrities have also drawn attention to what is happening at Standing Rock, with Jane Fonda announcing she would cook dinner for 500 water protectors at the site – although this has been met with a mixed reaction, with some grateful for the spotlight and others suggesting the demonstration should not be providing photo opportunities for celebrities to drop in.

Over the last few days, protesters have reported that they have been sprayed with water cannons in freezing cold conditions and shot at with rubber bullets.

However, authorities have reported demonstrators have blockaded roads and attempted to set a vehicle on fire.