Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is a cross-country oil pipeline that crosses near North Dakota’s Standing Rock Reservation. Its construction between 2016-2017 drew thousands of protesters from across the country, who set up various camps near Cannon Ball, most notably the Sacred Stone Camp. By some estimates, the Sacred Stone Camp swelled to ten thousand inhabitants at its peak.
Protesters clashed with law enforcement over the span of several months, including altercations in downtown Bismarck. The event, which primarily lasted between August 2016 to February 2017, resulted in hundreds of arrests and received national coverage by such outlets as CNN and NBC News. Numerous celebrities made appearances in support of the protests, including Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Jackson, Shailene Woodley, and Green Party Presidential candidate Jill Stein. Woodley and Stein both faced charges in relation to the protests, each of which resulted in plea deals.
