Around 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, a group of protestors launched a march from their camp located on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land to where construction was taking place on the Dakota Access Pipeline, on private property on the west side of Highway 1806. This march illegally blocked traffic in both lanes of the roadway.
Once protestors arrived at the construction area, they broke down a wire fence by stepping and jumping on it. According to numerous witnesses within five minutes the crowd of protestors, estimated to be a few hundred people became violent. They stampeded into the construction area with horses, dogs and vehicles.
Protestors physically assaulted private security officers hired by Dakota Access Pipeline. The security officers were hit and jabbed with fence posts and flag poles. According to several reports from security officers, knives were pulled on them or they witnessed protestors with large knives. Below is a summary of reports from numerous security officers.
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