A march was held that left Legion Park in Mandan at approximately 10:30 am that consisted of approximately 200 persons. The destination of the march was the Morton Co LEC and upon arrival, the participants held a “love, prayer, and forgiveness” event. The event concluded at approximately noon. No problems were encountered.At approximately 9:15 am, protesters backed a semi-tractor onto the Backwater Bridge and there was a group of approximately 20 protesters present. LE advised the protesters not to tamper with the burned trucks on the north side of the bridge and also that the bridge was unsafe. The group increased to approximately 100. Some of the protesters were standing on the burned trucks and tampering with the security fencing. At about 11:00 am, the protesters gradually began leaving the bridge and moved back towards the camp. At approximately 11:20 am, protesters began arriving in the area of Turtle Island and using a boat and kayaks/canoes, began ferrying persons over to the shoreline on Turtle Hill. Eventually, approximately 200+ protesters were on the shore of Turtle Hill. A portion of this group began climbing the hill and encountered the LE line at the top of the hill. At approximately 1:12 pm, protesters began a fire on Turtle Hill using a flare. LE was able to extinguish the fire using hand held fire extinguishers. LE attempted using chemical agents to move the protesters back from Turtle Hill but this was unsuccessful due to wind conditions. At approximately 1:20 pm, the protesters withdrew from the hill and began to ferry back across to Turtle Island. By approximately 2:30 pm, the majority of the protesters were gone from Turtle Island and those remaining were not causing any disturbance. At approximately 12:35 pm, the semi-tractor and approximately 20 protesters returned to the Backwater Bridge. The group of protesters grew in size and began to approach the blockade and would not comply with LE commands to move back. LE attempted to deploy chemical agents to make them withdraw, but due to wind conditions this was unsuccessful. At approximately 2:15 pm, the truck and protesters withdrew from the bridge. From approximately 11:15 am – 12:15 pm, protesters held a demonstration at Fairview Cemetery in Bismarck. It was estimated there was approximately 50 in this group. There were reports that there was a group doing a counter-demonstration. No significant problems were reported. One person was arrested from one of the boats ferrying protesters at Turtle Island.
