AMANPOUR: And finally tonight, imagine a virtual world rallying to protect the real one. In America, the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline is set to run across four states shuttling 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day from North Dakota to Illinois. It was supposed to be finished by the end of this year, but now work is at a standstill at Standing Rock. Environmentalists have flocked to that Native American reservation in North Dakota to halt construction. They believe the pipeline will ruin sacred grounds of the Sioux Tribe. And risk contamination of the tribe's main water source, which is the Missouri river. The Sioux history stretches deep into America's past. But they're finding a new ally in a modern miracle, the Internet. One and a half million people have checked in to Standing Rock on Facebook with activists calling for millions more to do so. The police have been cracking down heavily on demonstrators, and they say demonstrators that is, say these virtual check ins will masks their true activity and identity. Now President Barack Obama has hinted a potential rerouting of the pipeline, but we'll only know in a few weeks if this is actually possible. Until then, people across the world are still joining in the Standing Rock protesters. They are there in spirit, cyber spirit that is and also in real life. That's it for our program tonight. Remember, you can listen to our podcast, see us online at Amanpour.com and follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for watching and good-bye from London.
Bad Day at Standing Rock.