Actress and activist Shailene Woodley has opened up about her time in jail following the protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016.
Woodley, 25, sat down for an interview with Marie Claire UK and talked candidly about her brief stint behind bars when she was arrested for joining the protest at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota in October 2016.
"I was strip-searched," the "Big Little Liars" actress revealed about her time in Morton County jail. "Like get naked, turn over, spread your butt cheeks, bend over. They were looking for drugs in my a—."
Woodley was arrested on grounds of criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot.
In March, it was reported that she pled guilty to one count of disorderly conduct. The actress was sentenced to one-year deferred imposition and one year of unsupervised probation.
Of course, the actress is not looking forward to more time in prison.
"When you're in a jail cell and they shut that door, you realize no one can save you," she said. "If there's a fire and they decide not to open the door, you'll die. You are a caged animal."
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a controversial infrastructure that was being planned to sit atop the North Dakota Sioux tribe's sacred ground. Apart from respecting Native American culture and history, protesters were adamant about how the pipeline would threaten the drinking water of 18 million people.
Woodley is a known environmental activist and has long been outspoken about her political beliefs.
She revealed to The New York Times in August that she is considering running for public office after helping with the campaign of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
Woodley is also a feminist, and said, "If females start working through the false narrative of jealousy and insecurity fed through a patriarchal society, then not only will we have more women feeling confident in themselves and supportive of one another, but we will start introducing a type of matriarchy, which is what this world needs."
