Standing Rock pipeline protestors set up $5,000 crowdfunding target and raise $1 million

'It still feels unreal sometimes because it is such an astronomical figure to me,' says GoFundMe founder

Campaigners protesting the building of the four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline have crowd funded more than $1 million despite only setting a goal of $5,000 on their GoFundMe page.

Thousands have gathered in North Dakota to support the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in their legal battle against the plan for the 1,200 mile-long pipeline across their land.

This GoFundMe page is one of several cash streams that have provided the campaign more than $3 million to help protesters pay their legal costs, camp on the reservation and buy any other necessary supplies.

Between Thursday and Friday alone, the collected funds totalled $200,000. The money will allow the protesters to prolong their months-long encampment while the the tribe's legal battle in federal court continues.

Organisers are keen to state the amount of money raised goes out as quickly as it comes in mostly on operating costs for the camps.

Ho Waste Wakiya Wicasa, who originally set up up the fundraising page, said: "It still feels unreal sometimes because it is such an astronomical figure to me.

"The money goes as quickly as it comes, but without it having been as much as it is, we certainly wouldn’t have been able to be as productive as we have been in the fight."

Since April, opponents of the $3.8 billion pipeline have been camping in North Dakota about 50 miles south of Bismarck.

They worry the pipeline will disturb cultural artifacts and threaten drinking water sources on the nearby Sioux reservation and downstream.

The pipeline's operator, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, insists the project is safe.