Medium

Between 8:30 am and 9:30 am, two caravans of approximately 200 vehicles left the Seven Councils camp and traveled to Mandan where protesters conducted a protest in the middle of Main Ave between the intersections of Mandan Ave & 13th Ave NE.  The protest began at approximately 9:40 am.  Law enforcement reported that some of the protesters were wearing holsters, carrying slingshots, and wearing gas masks.  Law enforcement also reported that there were some younger children in the protest group. Law enforcement made announcements to the group beginning at approximately 10:50 am they need to disperse and leave the area.  At approximately 11:20 am the protesters began to disperse from Main Ave and eventually cleared the area and did not conduct any further protest events in Mandan or Bismarck. During this protest event, 2 subjects were arrested. At approximately 8:00 am, law enforcement reported that the protesters had constructed wooden bridge structure that was laying on the shoreline across from Turtle Hill and that construction was continuing on the bridge.  It appeared as if the bridge was going to be used by the protesters in an attempt to cross over to the shore of Turtle Hill.  As the construction was occurring, protesters were yelling to officers on Turtle Hill that the protesters are coming today and “to remember 73” (an apparent reference to the events which occurred at Wounded Knee in 1973).  By 11:30 am, the protester group by Turtle Hill had grown to 350-400 people.  At about noon, protesters began to cross over to Turtle Hill using the wooden bridge which was pushed into the water in addition to various watercraft.  Law enforcement formed a line to prevent the protesters from climbing to the top of Turtle Hill and utilized water to wet down the hill to hinder the ability to climb the hill.  Some protesters climbed partway up the hill but there were no significant confrontations between the protesters and law enforcement.  At approximately 2:15 pm, the protesters began to cross back across the water and disperse.  By approximately 4:45 pm, all protesters were gone from Turtle Hill and crossed back across the water. Throughout the day, there were various groups of protesters on the Backwater Bridge, but there were no significant problems on the bridge.