Photos: #NoDAPL Protesters Set an Estimated 20 Fires, Injuring Two Children, as Officials Work to Evacuate Them

I just got off the phone with a law enforcement source who tells me there won’t be any move to enter the main #NoDAPL protest camp tonight.

Earlier today about 100 or so protesters exited the camps, mostly peacefully, doing a ceremonial march before boarding buses to Bismarck. I’m told there are around 100 “hard cores” left in the camp, but it’s just too muddy for the police to get in there this evening.

Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing tonight, which will harden that mud and make operations easier in the morning. Officials are already expecting things to be tense. They didn’t want to add to the danger by making law enforcement officers work in the mud and slop.

Meanwhile a press release from the North Dakota Joint Information Center indicates that there were 10 arrests today. Protesters also apparently set 20 fires, injuring two of their own who were taken to Bismarck by ambulance for medical care.

One was a 7-year-old boy, the other a 17-year-old girl.

The full JIC press release is below. Here are some more photos of the fires at the camp today via NDResponse.gov: