Tigerswan contracted with the pipeline company to provide aerial and electronic surveillance of protesters and at times disabled cellphone communications in the protest area. Their agents penetrated the ranks of the protesters, spying and trying to introduce dissension to divide the protesters into conflicting groups. Tigerswan was founded to provide military support in Middle Eastern warzones, and they apply their anti-combatant methods in civilian protest situations.
Tigerswan entered the North Dakota standoff about the time Obama intervened to order a full environmental evaluation of the pipeline. This gesture proved to be futile, and as soon as he was elected, Trump gave the pipeline the green light.
Money talks.