April 17 2008

There is a protest going on right now as we speak in Marty, South Dakota home of the Ihanktowan aka Yankton Sioux. There have been multiple arrests, including minors, as protesters seek to block front loader bulldozers from breaking ground on a new pig farm that will be occupied by thousands of pigs and their waste near a Head Start Program filled with Native children.

A man was struck by the metal scoop of the front loader (which is used to excavate tons of dirt) and was medically evacuated by ambulance. State Troopers have violated their jurisdiction by arresting protesters on a BIA controlled road which is considered Federal land and therefore off limits to State Agencies and Law Enforcement.

It was said that the arrests of the minors and others were conducted illegally by the State Police on the Federal Road and they were escorted to State Land nearby to receive their citations and were released. South Dakota Highway Patrol has informed the Officers that they are in fact in violation of their jurisdiction as this is being written and being told to stand down and not to detain anymore protesters. Dakota, Lakota and Nakota and other Native Activists including a AIM chapter are mobilizing to this spot to support and join their Indigenous Families to protect their Native children and community from this gross violation of Tribal Sovereignty and Basic Human Rights.

Excerpts from News article

Wednesday (April 16 2008) a narrow highway separated protestors in Charles Mix County from dozens of highway patrol troopers.

That's where for the second day, Yankton Sioux Tribal Members are voicing concerns about the environmental impact of a hog farm being built next to tribal land.

Protestors gathered across the street from the construction site again early Wednesday morning, and numbers steadily increased throughout the day.

More than 45 Highway Patrol troopers staged at the construction site.

Yankton Sioux Member Frank Sanchez says, "That means that this is an act of war. This is not a peaceful conflict. This is an act of war when you have this many armed militia of the state of South Dakota. This is an act of war."

Protesters say they're participating to protect their children and land and want the situation to stay peaceful. Troopers say they want the same thing.
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