Fargo city worker serves three days of unpaid suspension for advocating violence against protesters

FARGO-A Fargo city worker was suspended for three days after posting on social media that Dakota Access Pipeline protesters should be killed.

Enos Lien, a city meter technician, served three days of unpaid suspension on Feb. 24, 27 and 28, according to documents obtained by The Forum through an open records request. The suspension resulted from Lien's comments made Wednesday, Feb. 22, on a local news station's Facebook page.

Lien said DAPL protesters who don't want to leave before the spring flooding should be fenced in, shot and "let them drown in the flooding." Another of his comments said "it's going to get ugly...law enforcement is going to have to get mean and someone's going to cry and scream brutality. When all protesters have been warned, it should be now if they die, they die."

The following day, the city's director of human resources, Jill Minette, met with Lien, who has been employed by the city for 17 years, and his supervisors.

Minette told Lien the city has received several complaints relating to his comments and some were concerned with him entering their homes, according to meeting notes. "The nature of the post is very concerning," she told him.

A Monday, Feb. 27, written warning and suspension letter signed by the city's water utility director and water meter supervisor stated that Lien's comments "advocating violence against the Dakota Access Pipeline protesters has brought discredit to the City of Fargo and generated several complaints from concerned citizens."

Along with the suspension, Lien is required to complete cultural sensitivity training and follow through with some type of appointment, though details of that appointment were redacted from documents obtained from the city.