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Date:September 27, 2016

Agency: Morton County Sheriff's Department

Contact: Morton County PIO (701) 426-1587

Mandan, N.D. – Morton County Sheriff’s Office, ND Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officers responded to two separate incidents of protesters assembling on Dakota Access Pipeline construction sites. The sites are located on private property west of St. Anthony in Morton County.

The calls for assistance were originally placed around noon by law enforcement observing protesters blocking Highway 6 with their vehicles and stopping traffic. Officers arrested five protesters for disorderly conduct and obstructing the highway as a result of this incident. One of the individuals was also arrested for false information.

The protesters caravan of cars then traveled to the Dakota Access Pipeline work site near Morton County 54th Street and 28th Avenue around 2:00 p.m. Over 50 officers arrived on the scene where they found over 100 cars, approximately 300 protesters and about a dozen horses congregating in the construction area and along the road. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation is following up on reports of one DAPL worker assaulted and reports of protesters blocking workers from leaving their worksite as well as being chased by protesters on horseback.

After dispersing, the caravan of protesters moved to another DAPL worksite southeast of the first protest where they met for about one hour and then dispersed.

A farmer also reported that he could not get across the highway to harvest his field due to the high volume of traffic.

No arrests were made at the two DAPL worksites, however, law enforcement officials are reviewing video and photos to determine if additional arrests will be made. Law enforcement also received a report from a farmer of “shots fired” where he observed protesters firing at highway signs and construction pipe.

After today’s arrests, there have been 74 arrested for protest activities since the start of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

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