26 protesters seriously injured in most tense standoff with police for weeks near camp

MORTON COUNTY, N.D. — An hours-long standoff between Dakota Access Pipeline protesters and police on the Backwater Bridge ended midday Monday as an elder encouraged people to leave the bridge where hundreds were sprayed with water in subfreezing temperatures the night before.

The previous night’s confrontation followed efforts by the protesters to remove burned out vehicles blocking the bridge since late October. The attempt escalated into hours of conflict in which protesters reportedly threw rocks and logs at police, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and cold water.

It was the most tense conflict between law enforcement and opponents of the 1,168-mile crude oil pipeline in weeks, and led to at least 26 serious injuries among protesters, according to a camp medical group, and one officer was reportedly hit in the head with a rock.

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/region/4164374-26-protesters-seriously-injured-most-tense-standoff-police-weeks-near-camp