At approximately 10:00 am, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met with protesters from the Oceti Sakowin camp and discussed USACE priorities to clean up the area and restore the land to its pre-protest condition.At approximately 10:45 am, law enforcement prepared to enter the Oceti camp using equipment to remove snow to create an entrance path into the northwest portion of the camp. Snow removal was completed by approximately 11:05 am, and officers entered the camp and encountered a group of approximately 50 protesters. Officers directed the protesters to disperse and move to the south and if they did so, they would not be arrested. Officers began to move forward and those protesters who did not disperse were arrested. Law enforcement officers continued to move through the camp and inspected each structure to ensure they were all empty. At 2:09 pm, law enforcement announced the Oceti camp was cleared and secured. As officers cleared the camp, construction equipment began to demolish wooden structures in the camp that had been inspected and confirmed as unoccupied. When the camp was cleared, approved contractors began to disassemble and remove structures and items that were determined to be ceremonial or of other cultural value. A tow company also began removing the abandoned vehicles from the camp. A total of 47 arrests were made of those who refused to leave Oceti camp. After the Oceti camp was cleared, BIA also entered and cleared the Rosebud camp. Traffic control measures are in place to prevent traffic into the area of the camps. Cleanup activities will continue to clear the USCOE property.
