Federal agents and police target Native Americans in three states

By Brenda Norrell
Photo credit S.P.I.R.I.T/Peace and Dignity Journeys 2012     
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com



Update Monday, Sept. 10, 2012
Native Americans in Arizona, Nevada and Oklahoma have been targeted by federal agents, police and Sheriff’s offices in three different incidents. In Nevada, the ACLU is demanding all reports from the FBI on harassments and intimidation of American Indian Movement and No Bear Hunt activists opposing bear hunts in northern Nevada.
In Tempe, Arizona, Native Americans and anarchists say a typical tactic was carried out by Tempe police and anti-terrorism agents to halt a benefit show for Protect the Peaks. Protect the Peaks seeks to halt Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff, Ariz,, from transporting sewage water for snowmaking for tourists on sacred San Francisco Peaks. Already old growth pines have been cut down in the path of the pipeline. News coverage of the issue has been distorted due to local biased news reports. The Peaks are sacred to 13 area Indian Nations, including Navajos, Hopi, Havasupai and Hualapai.
In Oklahoma, a member of the Peace and Dignity Run was attacked by police this week and the sacred Eagle Staff desecrated.
In breaking news from Canada on Monday, Terrance Nelson, former chief of Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba, said the real reason that Canada closed the Iranian Embassy is because Nelson and two Dakota chiefs are heading to Iran in October.
Terrance Nelson is former chief of Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba. In a letter to Prime Minister Harper, Nelson said, "We both know that the accusation that the Iranian Embassy in Ottawa was recruiting Iranians in Canada was a smokescreen, the real reason for the closure is APTN reporting our scheduled trip to Tehran on October 8 to 20. Dakota Chief Frank Brown, Dakota Chief Orvile Smoke, myself and possibly Lubicon Lake Chief Bernard Ominayak were scheduled to travel to Iran. The implications of this trip are that the Americans would go ballistic with your government when Chief Frank Brown does his power point presentation in front of the Iranian Parliament showing pictures of the mass graves from the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre."
Read letter http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/09/terrance-nelson-israel-us-and-canadas.html
 
Nevada activists harassed and jailed, oppose bear hunt on spiritual teachings
In Nevada, the ACLU has filed a Freedom of Information request to find out what the FBI has reported on the Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Indian Movement and the group No Bear Hunt. AIM is opposing the hunting of bears, based on the spiritual teachings of the Paiute, Washoe and Shoshone.
Raquela Arthur, Pyramid Lake Paiute and AIM member, said, “We requested help from the ACLU because our rights have been violated, including our right to the First Amendment, freedom of speech.”
“We want the harassments, racial profiling, false incarcerations and intimidation tactics to stop. We are Native Americans that promote a peaceful fight in our fight to save our sacred bears. Its a sad day that Native Americans still have to fight for our basic rights.”
Read more: http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/09/aclu-intervenes-in-targeting-of-aim-and.html

Tempe police and anti-terror agents shut down Protect the Peaks benefit show
In Tempe, Arizona, Fires Never Extinguished tells the story of how Tempe police and anti-terror agents halted a benefit show scheduled for Friday night.
"A campaign of political repression is under way against anarchist and indigenous project in Arizona, spearheaded by the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center and the Tempe Police Department Homeland Defense Unit."
"The Tempe police department’s anti-terror division preemptively shut down the Protect the Peaks solidarity benefit show that was planned for Friday night, using the threat of a fire code violation to ensure that the venue would have to cancel the event. The Homeland Defense Unit acted on an alert they received from Arizona's main counter terrorism information gathering hub, also known as a fusion center, that a benefit show to raise money for the struggle to save the San Francisco Peaks was scheduled to take place in Tempe on Friday night. “
Read more http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/2012/09/tempe-police-and-arizona-anti-terror.html
or http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/09/tempe-police-and-arizona-anti-terror.html

Oklahoma Racism: Peace and Dignity runners targed by police
In Oklahoma, Brenda Golden, Muscogee Creek, reports “on the ridiculous treatment of our indigenous people in Oklahoma and the red-neck mentality toward our esteemed guest.“
“A sacred Eagle Staff desecrated and a runner handcuffed by local police near White Eagle! Yesterday evening our Peace and Dignity Journeys Guests were accosted by the local police in Kay County according to Hector Cerda, the PDJ coordinator."
“Cerda said the runners were coming into White Eagle, they were about three miles away. He was in the van picking up runners to take into the host site. This particular runner, a citizen of the Mohawk Nation, had been running by himself on Highway 177."
Read more http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/09/oklahoma-racism-police-desecrate-peace.html

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Peaks Tree Sit Rally and March, Tues., Aug. 21, 2012

Photo by Dawn Dyer/Thank you from Censored News!

Tree-sit Halts Snowbowl Pipeline Construction

Rally and March from City Hall to be Held

Video Interview with James Kennedy: http://youtu.be/I2XMtLiX1pk

ALERT TUESDAY
Protesters locked to tree arrested, tree sitter remains
‎10:41am - TREE-SIT UPDATE: SUPPORT NEEDED. James' (tree-sitter) life in danger! They are trying to move his anchors which are his life lines.
‎10:00 AM - TREE-SIT UPDATE: Cops, detectives, fire department arrived.
8:30 am: Two people have locked down to protect tree sitter!
7:30 am: Machinery cutters arrived to cut out tree sitter.
Support needed!
WHAT: Rally and March from City Hall to Tree-sit to address environmental & public health threats
WHEN & WHERE: Meet at City Hall at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, and then walk to Thorpe Park to rally, drum, sing, and express support for the tree-sitter defending public health and the Peaks at 6:30 PM.
WHO: Concerned community members, tree-sitter James Kennedy and ground support crew.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz -- On the morning of Monday August 20th, 2012 a tree-sit was established to protect our community and our children from the City of Flagstaff’s sanctioning and use of hazardous treated sewage, which contains antibiotic resistant genes, in our public spaces. The ropes securing the tree-sit stretch across the projected path of the City of Flagstaff’s and Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort's treated sewage effluent pipeline, currently under construction on Mars Hill near Thorpe Park.


James Kennedy Peaks tree sitting
Photo Protect the Peaks

NAU student and Flagstaff community member James Kennedy climbed into a large ponderosa pine tree early in the morning securing himself to pipeline trench digging equipment with a "lifeline" that, if moved, would threaten his life.

"Today was nothing short of amazing, I think we have sent a clear message on the urgency of protecting our communities and environment," stated James. "I am not sure how a city that sells millions of gallons of water to corporate interests will respond, but with so much recent research indicating the dangers of contact with wastewater, i am optimistic. I will be here until I see tangible results to the listed demands, however long it takes until this rigging is unsafe to use." James said.



Photo by Dawn Dyer

According to the Arizona Daily Sun Lt. Lance Roberts, of Flagstaff Police Department stated, “We’re not going to go up there and get him at this time… We’re just going to let them do their thing and hopefully it won’t rain today.”

At approximately 3:00 PM five Fire Department officials arrived on the site. They carelessly ignored ground supporters who cautioned them not to touch a "lifeline" that connects the tree-sitter to a large machine used for digging pipeline trench.

Tree-sitter and ground crew need the continuous presence of supporters throughout the day and night to bare witness and ensure the safety of this peaceful act of resistance. People are welcome all day, please visit www.ProtectThePeaks.org for directions and for more ways to support.

We invite those of you who believe in the safety and health of our children, the sanctity of our environment, and the protection of public water to demand that:

- The City of Flagstaff rescind the wastewater contract with Snowbowl!
- An immediate moratorium on the City of Flagstaff's use of treated sewage effluent in public spaces where any person may come in contact with reclaimed wastewater, until new research and technology is available to mitigate long-term environmental & community health risks.
-The use of public water in this desert climate of Flagstaff with only a projected 25-38 years of water left for people’s consumption, should be cleaned and used for people to drink, not for a private corporation to make a profit.
-President Obama fulfill campaign promises to protect human rights and sacred sites.

City of Flagstaff Mayor and Council:
PHONE: (928) 779-7600
EMAIL: council@flagstaffaz.gov

Peaks Contact:
Contact: Ariana Sauer (602) 388-3726
Xander Vautrin@ (847) 334-7212
protectpeaks@gmail.com
www.protectthepeaks.org

Photos Klee Benally locks down to Snowbowl equipment

Protect the Peaks, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011. The ongoing efforts are to halt the desecration of sacred San Francisco Peaks. Photos by Youths of the Peaks for Censored News, on as it happened.

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

French translation:Traduction (Fr): http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=305

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Navajo Klee Benally chained himself to heavy equipment on Snowbowl Road on Saturday, as an excavator continued destroying sacred San Francisco Peaks during a morning prayer gathering of Native Americans and supporters.

The destruction is part of the development of Arizona Snowbowl ski resort, which is digging into the earth and clearcutting for a pipeline to carry sewage water for snowmaking on the sacred mountains.

While Klee Benally was chained to an excavator, he said, "Here we draw the line, here we say no more!"

"You are criminals. You allow the desecration of our sacred. You threaten our cultural survival.

"What part of sacred don’t you understand," Benally said. His words were repeated by supporters gathered at the site as police arrived and a forest service officer emerged from the woods who had been videotaping them.

Benally, chained to the excavator, said, "This is not a game. This is not for show. This is not for media. This is to stop this desecration from happening."

"What is at stake is our prayers, our ways of life, our cultural survival, this is why this has to stop. This is why we say, 'No desecration for recreation, protect the peaks!'"

Those words were resounded by other Native Americans gathered to halt the destruction.

Flagstaff author Mary Sojourner and Protect the Peaks police liaison Rudy Preston were arrested at the scene. Preston was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of trespassing.

Sojourner was charged late Saturday at the Coconino County Jail. Preston and Sojourner were bailed out of jail late Saturday. Benally was cited for disorderly conduct and released.

Klee Benally is internationally know as the lead singer of the Navajo family band Blackfire and longtime organizer of efforts to save San Francisco Peaks from destruction.

Mary Sojourner is the author of two novels, Sisters of the Dream and Going Through Ghosts; the short story collection, Delicate; essay collection, Bonelight: ruin and grace in the New Southwest; memoirs, Solace: rituals of loss and desire and She Bets Her Life.

In Flagstaff, Russell Crawford said the Protect the Peaks movement resonates around the world.

"There are lots of folks in Flagstaff right now supporting the efforts to stop destruction and desecration on the Holy San Francisco Peaks. Some are camping in the woods, bearing witness to the pipeline excavation, and some are in town providing legal and other forms of support. Additionally, there are thousands of people from around the world who are also acting in solidarity with those in Flagstaff. Last but not least, there are also all those who are struggling to protect sacred sites and the environment, who are directly connected to those in northern Arizona. From Australia to the Arctic, Appalachia to the fields of Ireland, liberated Zapatista territories to occupied O'odham lands, Big Mountain to Yucca Mountain, and beyond," Crawford said.

Before today's action, 17 people were arrested in the past eight days, as Navajo, Hualapai, Hopi, O'odham and other Native Americans have been protesting the destruction of the sacred mountains.

Tourists are being asked to boycott the Arizona Snowbowl, which is owned by Eric Borowsky of Scottsdale.

During a week of action, Protect the Peaks protested outside the US Forest Service, Flagstaff City Hall and High Desert Investment Company. High Desert Investment Company, responsible for the clearcutting San Francisco Peaks, is owned by G Allen Ribelin, who also owns High Investment Logging in Flagstaff.

The Arizona Snowbowl plans to make snow for tourists on the sacred mountain using recycled waste water. Thirteen Native American Indian Nations hold the mountains sacred. Medicine men gather healing plants and conduct ceremonies on the mountains.

Already, there is clearcutting of the old growth forests for the pipeline and tourist developments.

Native American youths have been willing to be arrested to halt the destruction.

Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011