BBQ for Native American Prisoner of War Leonard Peltier NYC

Saturday June 25, 2011
(Rain Date: Sunday June 26, 2011)
From 1 pm-4 pm
Dias y Flores Community Garden
(13th Street between Avenues A & B)
Native American Flute by Franc Menusan
Potluck BBQ: To arrange what dish to bring for the potluck,
call MD (our food coordinator) after 7 pm: 347-731-9947

The three years following the occupation of Wounded Knee are often referred to as the Pine Ridge “Reign of Terror” because anyone associated with the American Indian Movement was targeted for violence. People’s homes were burned and their cars run off the road. People were struck by cars, shot in drive-by shootings and beaten. Between 1973 and 1976, over 70 traditionalists were murdered and scores more were assaulted. As the situation worsened, the traditionalists asked AIM to return to the reservation to offer protection. Leonard Peltier was among those who answered the call. He and a dozen others set up camp on the Jumping Bull ranch at Pine Ridge, the home of a number of traditional families.

In Native American history, June 26th is a day of anguish. On that date in 1975, two FBI agents in unmarked cars pursued a red pickup truck onto the Jumping Bull ranch. Gunshots rang out. While mothers fled the area with their children, other residents started to return fire. A shootout erupted between the FBI agents and the residents. Law enforcement immediately mobilized. Within a couple hours, over 150 FBI swat team members, Bureau of Indian Affairs police and GOONs surrounded the ranch. Peltier helped lead a small group of teenagers out of the Jumping Bull area, barely escaping through the hail of bullets. He fled to Canada and was illegally extradited to the U.S. on Feb. 6, 1976 based on false information provided by the FBI.

This assault has not ended. For 35 years, Leonard Peltier, a Lakota/Anishinabe organizer of the American Indian Movement (AIM), has been in prison, falsely accused of killing the FBI agents. U.S. prosecutors have publicly admitted that they do not know who actually fired the shots that killed the agents, but they have refused to consider Peltier for parole or to turn over thousands of pages of documents that could prove his innocence.

This event is honoring AIM warrior Leonard Peltier, so no alcohol or drugs are permitted.

NYC Leonard Peltier Defense-Offense Ctte • nyclpdoc@gmail.com • 718-325-4407