Governor declares state of emergency and activates ND National Guard

Gov. Doug Burgum signed an executive order Saturday night declaring a state of emergency in Fargo, West Fargo and Cass County and activating the North Dakota National Guard to help local authorities respond to unlawful activity and the risk to people and property due to civil disturbances.

The mayor of Fargo and West Fargo declared a state of emergency tonight and requested additional law enforcement and other support from the state of North Dakota.

“The rule of law must be enforced to protect the general public, protesters, and first responders from those who engage in illegal activity,” Burgum stated in the order. “All citizens have the right to peacefully and lawfully assemble and protest; the State of North Dakota is committed to protecting those rights. Additional state resources are necessary to help relieve conditions of distress due to unlawful activity that threatens the safety, health and welfare of the citizens of North Dakota.”

The executive order activates the State Emergency Operations Plan to prevent injuries and save lives, alleviate hardships, implement appropriate response and recovery actions and future mitigation measures, and facilitate restoration of services and infrastructure. All state agencies, including the North Dakota National Guard, are ordered to provide response resources and capabilities. In addition to the Guard, the North Dakota Highway Patrol has directed additional resources to assist authorities in Cass County.