Two thousand veterans are planning to join the Standing Rock Indian Reservation protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The day before the US Army Corps of Engineers plans to close camps in North Dakota, as many as 2,000 military veterans are expected to stand in solidarity with the Native Americans and the protesters who have endured months of extreme weather, pepper spray, water cannons, as well as alleged use of grenades by police. Protests were mostly peaceful until they turned violent in late November.

The event, Veterans for Standing Rock, is calling for participants to "assemble as a peaceful, unarmed militia" to stand against protesters being assaulted and intimidated by law enforcement.

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A gofundme online fundraising page for the veterans has gathered close to $490,000 in just over two weeks.

"It's time to display that honor, courage and commitment we claim to represent," the page reads, adding that 2,100 veterans want to join the event but the event reached capacity at 2,000 people.

"It's time for real patriots. Now more than ever, it's time for anyone and everyone to lead."

The day after Thanksgiving, the Army Corps of Engineers said they would close a campsite to "protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protesters and law enforcement officials that have occurred in this area".

The closure will affect the Oceti Sakowin camp and the area north of the Cannonball River.

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The event, led by Michael Wood Jr, a veteran and former Baltimore police officer, and Wesley Clark Jr, a veteran, screenwriter and activist, is already collecting names of those who are interested in a second trip, which could be as early as the second week in December.

"This event (and this event page) will not tolerate hate, violence or divisive behaivor of any kind," their Facebook page reads.

Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Show all 15 1 /15 Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A person pours a pepper spray antidote into a protester's eyes during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People swim across a river to where the police officers are standing guard during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A man holds up a ceremonial object while police officers look down from a hill during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota November Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Two people stand in the water of a river while police officers guard the shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A man stands on a makeshift bridge over a river while police officers stand on the opposite shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Tonya Stands recovers after being pepper sprayed by police after swimming across a creek with other protesters hoping to build a new camp to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, near Cannon Ball, Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Dakota Access Pipeline protesters stand in the foreground and in the waist-deep water of the Cantapeta Creek, northeast of the Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting dozens with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Dakota Access Pipeline protesters stand in the foreground and in the waist-deep water of the Cantapeta Creek, northeast of the Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting dozens with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People who were tear gassed return to the shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People yell at police officers standing on the opposite shore of a river during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters

“We're doing this to support our country so lets do it with honor, working together. We can stop this savage injustice being committed right here at home. If not us, who? If not now, when?”

The planned pipeline is a $3.7 billion project that would cross four states and potentially destroy a Native American reserve’s historical artifacts, burial and prayer sites. It could also pollute the Missouri river.

Once completed, it would carry 470,000 barrels of crude oil per day through both Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois.

Legal disputes have slowed the process down, but the pipeline is almost complete.

Law enforcement has been widely criticised for its treatment of the protesters, pointing sniper guns at unarmed civilians, using a taser, sound cannons and firing rubber bullets at journalists.

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The most serious conflict was when protester, 21-year-old Sophia Wilanksy, had her left arm and hand badly damaged following an explosion. Her father said it was due to a police grenade, whereas police said demonstrators had caused the explosion. More than 300 people were treated for injuries that day.

The military event organisers have asked participants to bring body armor, gas masks, earplugs and shooting mufflers, but has warned not to bring drugs, alcohol or weapons.

Anyone found on the closed-off land after 5 December could be charged with trespassing, the US army said.