Dakota Access protesters settle into camp life

CANNON BALL, N.D. — An upside down flag hangs in the center of a new community larger than most small towns in North Dakota. It's a protest camp near the Cannonball River at the border of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

The flag is a symbol of distress, that the area had been taken over by an enemy. But the atmosphere Thursday afternoon at the Seven Councils or Overflow Camp, where hundreds are staying in Morton County, hardly feels urgent. Rather, it's joyful and cooperative.

The setup is an extension of the Camp of Sacred Stones, located on the reservation at the confluence of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers, where people have been protesting an oil pipeline since April. During the past week, the once-small effort has grown to an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people.

http://www.inforum.com/news/4098238-dakota-access-protesters-settle-camp-life