Vic Mensa spent his Thanksgiving weekend at the Standing Rock reservation, in protest against the construction of the North Dakota Access pipeline. 

In a series of tweets, photos and videos, the Chicago rapper urged his fans to send their support to the cause. “If you believe in the inalienable rights of people; the right to clean drinking water, the right to food and shelter and the right to freedom then you have to support standing rock,” he wrote on Instagram. “Get on a plane, drive, take a bus do whatever you have to do.”

The planned 1,172-mile pipeline – which would carry around 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day – has sparked controversy for its potential effects on North Dakota’s Native American communities. If broken, its contents could contaminate the Missouri river, which is the main source of water for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. 

“Drilling that oil pipeline could contaminate the livelihood of so many people, primarily indigenous people of this land that have been systematically destroyed since Europeans arrived in America,” wrote Mensa.

“December 5th the Army Corps has set an ultimatum for the people camped at standing rock, saying that they will forcibly remove the water protectors. When one of our freedom is on the line all of our freedom is on the line. Fight for freedom.”

The rapper is not the first celebrity to come out in support of the Standing Rock tribe. Last month, Jaden and Willow Smith marched against the pipeline’s construction, while Divergent actress Shailene Woodley got arrested for her involvement in the protest (she’s currently facing misdemeanour charges). 

See a selection of Mensa’s photos and videos from the demonstration below.