15 miles south of Mandan, North Dakota – On the heels of yesterday’s action which halted Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) construction, once again, today, hundreds of water protectors caravaned to a DAPL work site to pray to that the Dakota Access Pipeline is stopped.

After an hour of prayer Water Protectors leave site of #DakotaAccessPipeline construction. #NoDapl pic.twitter.com/ikO42doz1m

— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) September 28, 2016

The caravan was followed by two helicopters and a circling airplane. Workers had left the area moments before the protectors arrived. After praying for nearly an hour, everyone gathered to caravan to a second site.

Water Protectors gather to pray at #DakotaAccessPipeline construction site. Heliocopters swirl overhead. #NoDapl pic.twitter.com/BGUhb6Vo78

— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) September 28, 2016

As the water protectors left the site, a crop-duster airplane appeared as sprayed the area with an unknown substance as people hurried to their vehicles.

Crop duster flies over spraying as people move back to their vechiles. #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/xEuKu3A66k

— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) September 28, 2016

The water protectors went to a second site to pray. They prayed for 40 minutes and as they left the site, a large amount of police vehicles arrived and blockaded the only exit on the public road leading to the DAPL work site.

Dozens of militarized police with shotguns appeared with a Bearcat armored vehicle as well as an MRAP. The Bearcat was also brought out by police at yesterday’s action, but the MRAP, a larger tan colored armored vehicle, had not been seen at any DAPL sites until today.

Police w shotguns (NOT less lethal) & armored vehicles at site where water protectors halted Dakota Access Pipeline work today #NoDAPL pic.twitter.com/vVxfSWSoV9

— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) September 28, 2016

After blockading the exit points, police vehicles sped across open fields towards the crowd of protectors as they left the site. Several arrests were made, as police brandished loaded shotguns, and assault rifles. The latest information we gathered is that there were up to 21 arrests.

Unicorn Riot was live when police arrived at the scene of the work stoppage, below is a highlight of when the Bearcat arrived until the end of the stream as well as the full stream:

We will provide more details about today’s #NoDAPL direct action and arrests as they become available.

Summary Video of todays events:

Water Protectors Pray at Construction Site, Met With Police Armor and Automatic Weapons from Unicorn Riot on Vimeo.

Unicorn Riot will continue to do our best to bring you stories and in-depth information from the front lines as actions continue to occur. To help our volunteer-operated, horizontally-organized, non-profit media collective please consider a tax-deductible donation:

To see Unicorn Riot’s coverage of the Sacred Stone Camp and frontline anti-pipeline struggle, see below.

August 2016

• After covering the camp in the spring of 2016, Unicorn Riot returned to Standing Rock Reservation on Wednesday, August 10th, when Standing Rock tribal members and allies blocked the entrance to the Dakota Access Pipeline construction site.
• On Thursday, August 11th, a dozen or so people were arrested blocking the construction site entrances.
• Day 3, Friday, the fight to protect land & water intensified around the construction sites of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
• On the 4th day, the pipeline resistance encampment swelled and prepared for more action.
• Monday, August 15th, land defenders stormed the construction site halting construction, and the next day construction was halted as well.
• August 17th saw State Police begin checkpoints, roadblocks, and psyops as protesters united to defend water.
• August 24th, camps prepared as Federal injunction hearing looms.
• Camps Organize to Stay as Injunction Postponed.
• On August 31st, Non-Violent Direct Action Stopped DAPL Construction for Over 6 Hours.

September 2016

• September 6, indigenous water protectors swarmed Dakota Access Pipeline site, stopped work
• September 7, Uŋpa Nuŋpa was interviewed about ongoing #noDAPL actions
• North Dakota highway patrol refused to release email correspondence with Energy Transfer Partners
• September 8, ND National Guard took over Dakota Access Pipeline checkpoints
• Friday, September 9, US Govt. overruled federal judge and requested pipeline construction halted at Lake Oahe
• Meanwhile, cultural activities continued at #NoDAPL camps despite more arrests/warrants
• September 13, 20 were arrested during #NoDAPL lockdown, including 2 Unicorn Riot journalists
• September 14, direct actions continued against Dakota Access Pipeline while legal repression intensified
• On September 16 a federal judge dissolved the unconstitutional temporary restraining order Dakota Access, LLC had filed against Stranding Rock tribal members
• September 19, as solidarity protests spread nationwide, the federal appeals court ordered construction temporarily stop on Dakota Access segment as Solidarity Protests Spread Nationwide
• September 21, #NoDAPL noise demo demanded freedom for jailed water protector Olowan Martinez
• September 22, water protectors disrupted the annual meeting of the North Dakota Petroleum Council
• September 25, water protectors planted trees on DAPL construction site
• In Iowa on September 26, a non-violent direct action from the Mississippi Stand camp stopped DAPL construction for the day.
• September 26, Caravan of Water Protectors Stops Work at DAPL Site.

For our coverage earlier this spring of the Sacred Stone Camp, see May 27th report, “Dakota Access Pipeline Blockade Enters 2nd Month“; May 5th, “Sacred Stone Camp Resists Dakota Access Pipeline“; April 3rd, “Tribal Citizens Build Camp in Path of Oil Pipeline“; March 29th, “Tribal Citizens Prepare to Blockade Bakken Oil Pipeline“.