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Press
Release
April
10, 2005
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Contact: Frank Bibeau
218-760-1258
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Last
week, Leech Lake Petition organizers held petition sign-up protests
at three reservation locations; the Leech Lake Reservation Business
Committee (LLRBC) governmental headquarters in Cass Lake (4/5),
Northern Lights Casino in Walker (4/8), and White Oak Casino in Deer
River, Minnesota (4/9). All five Petitions presently contain about
two-thirds of the needed signatures and are still expected to be
completed by the end of April.
The
main Petition is for a referendum vote so that the people of the
Leech Lake Reservation may express their voices on whether to
participate in the State-Reservation Casino. Of the five petitions,
the Petition for the removal of District Representative Wilson has
received the most support and signatures.
Tribal
elder and past LLRBC Chairman Hartley White commented at the Saturday
event that “these guys [LLRBC] need to work within the law, not
above it. I plan to be at every protest.” Later that afternoon,
District Representative Wilson appeared at the White Oak Casino
attempting to have Itasca County Deputies remove or arrest the
protesters, but was unsuccessful.
One
of the humorous highlights at the Friday protest at Northern Lights
was the “Unknown Protestor” who protested with a paper grocery
bag over his head saying “I don’t want to be singled out for
retaliation by the LLRBC. I know the Tribal Police are video taping
every event from their squad cars.” The Unknown Protester was
present at the White Oak Casino protest Saturday too.
More
protests are planned for this week at various locations around Leech
Lake reservation. For information on how you find a petition to sign
or to find out about the next protest location, please contact
Coordinator Deb Geving at (218) 547-2962. The public is invited to
access information by email at: leechlakepetitions@yahoo.com
or write to the Anishinabe Rights Center at Post Office Box 1663 in
Bemidji, Minnesota 56619-1663.
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Contact: Deb Geving at
(218) 547-2962
Photos provided by Frank Bibeau. Please feel free to use the photos or
if higher resolution is
required please contact Frank Bibeau via e-mail or the telephone
number above.
For other information relating to the
Petitions, protests or other civil rights struggles on Leech Lake
Reservation visit our web
page.
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