Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
© Terray Sylvester / Reuters
Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
Dozens of DAPL protesters were arrested after police raided and cleared the Oceti Sakowin camp near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. Some activists refused to leave peacefully and set fire to their makeshift housing.

The Oceti Sakowin camp was completely emptied shortly after 2:00pm local time (8:00pm GMT), the Morton County Sheriff's Department said, as cited by Reuters.


About 50 police in riot gear, aided by members of the National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers, entered the site.


At least 47 people were arrested, department spokeswoman Maxine Herr said.

Police form a line to push back protesters, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
© Stephen Yang / Reuters
Police form a line to push back protesters, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
On Thursday, military vehicles, bulldozers, and police in riot gear moved into the camp to clear out the remaining protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

About 100 people had remained in the camp, defying the Wednesday deadline for evacuation ordered by the governor of North Dakota.

Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
© Terray Sylvester / Reuters
Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
"Things went very smoothly. We are very happy with the operations," Herr said, adding that around 200 law enforcement officials took part in the operation.

Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
© Terray Sylvester / Reuters
Police detain a protester against the Dakota Access oil pipeline, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
The protesters set around 20 fires, and one vehicle was burned, the Morton County Public Information Office in Bismarck, North Dakota said, as cited by AP. The statement added that there were at least two explosions, and a seven-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were taken to the hospital with burns.


"It's really hard being here right now but we know we need to be here because we know that they are wrong and we are right," Raymond Kingfisher, a protester, told Reuters.

A building burns after it was set alight by protesters, North Dakota, U.S., February 22, 2017
© Terray Sylvester / Reuters
A building burns after it was set alight by protesters, North Dakota, U.S., February 22, 2017
"They have been pointing a gun at our head since day one, so the feeling of fear becomes pretty normal," another protester, Jeremiah Barnes, added.

Some protesters decided to leave the camp peacefully. Others set the wooden constructions on fire.

Debris is seen in the recently closed Oceti Sakowin camp before the police raid in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
© Stephen Yang / Reuters
Debris is seen in the recently closed Oceti Sakowin camp before the police raid in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., February 23, 2017
Phyllis Young, one of the camp leaders, told AP that the protests will continue.

"Freedom is in our DNA, and we have no choice but to continue the struggle," she said.

"A lot of our people want to be here and pray for our future," tribal chairman Harold Frazier added.


Oceti Sakowin, or "Seven Council Fires," is the native name for the Sioux nation. The protest camp was set up north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The tribe has tried to stop the construction of the segment of the Dakota Access Pipeline under Lake Oahe, on the grounds that it could endanger their water supply.