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Court Rules in Favor of Native Youth Attacked at Flagstaff Dew Downtown Event

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City Council & Mainstream Media Continue to Ignore ‘Racist Attack’

 

FLAGSTAFF, AZ — A Flagstaff Judge ruled today that Snowbowl ski area supporter Lindsay Lucas, must pay restitution for assaulting two Native Youth at a Flagstaff event called Dew Downtown on February 9, 2013.

“I’m pleased to report that the Judge was in our favor. It’s been a very long year of constant continuances. We’ve all suffered emotionally as a family from this ordeal.” stated Leslyn Begay, Diné (Navajo) mother of the two boys who were 11 & 13 when assaulted. “It’s nerve wrecking walking into the judicial system not knowing what to expect. As a Diné and person of color you worry it may not go in your favor.” said Ms. Begay.

On February 9, 2013, more than 50 people had gathered in downtown Flagstaff for a peaceful Idle No More round dance in protest of Snowbowl ski area expansion and snowmaking with treated sewage on the holy San Francisco Peaks.
The protest coincided with Dew Downtown, a City of Flagstaff sponsored event in partnership with Arizona Snowbowl.

The group formed a circle and were closing the protest with the American Indian Movement song when the Snowbowl supporter rushed into the circle of protesters swinging her arms and tore through a large banner, pulling it from the people holding it and smashed it on the ground. She then pushed further into the circle and assaulted the two young Diné who were singing and drumming. After punching at them, she grabbed at the drums and tried to break them.

Police initially refused to charge the assaulter.
At the time Ms. Begay stated, “I feel if the roles were reversed it would have been a different outcome. If I attacked a caucasian child I would have gone straight to jail. This white female attacked us and knocked their drums out of their hands and may get away with it. It’s racism. The cops refused my request to arrest her for assault. They gave her a disorderly conduct ticket but refused to charge her with assault or jail her for her actions against my kids.” stated Ms. Begay.

“This attack and how it was handled by the cops underscores the racism that exists in Flagstaff.” states Klee Benally, a longtime advocate for protection of the holy San Francisco Peaks, “The Flagstaff City Council is complicit in this attack, they created the conditions to permit this kind of attitude to fester in our community. This is called structural violence.”
“This racist attack has not only been ignored by local mainstream media, City officials have turned a blind eye on this incident in order to promote winter tourism. It’s not only irresponsible to ignore such an attack on Native youth, it makes racism the norm in Flagstaff.” stated Mr. Benally.

“The boys and I will still stand up for our beliefs and continue to Protect Sacred Sites.” said Ms. Begay after the court decision. “This will not deter us from this path. Thanks to all the folks and my family who’ve been supportive, continue showing solidarity by boycotting Snowbowl and the Dew Downtown event.”

More info: www.protectthepeaks.org, www.truesnow.org.

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Link to previous story with photos: http://protectthepeaks.org/native-youth-drummers-attacked-by-snowbowl-supporter-at-city-of-flagstaff-ski-event/

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5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Naima Schuller

    January 23, 2014 at 9:23 AM

    This is wonderful news!

  2. Christine Prat

    January 27, 2014 at 10:31 AM

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No Thanks, No Giving! Indigenous Action Yearly Fundraiser (online)

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Support Indigenous radical autonomous, anti-capitalist, anti-colonial organizing & agitation!

COLONIZERS GOTTA PAY! SMASH THE NON-PROFIT CAPITALIST
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

Donate to Indigenous Action:

LINK: www.paypal.com/paypalme/indigenousaction

This is our yearly call for material support for Indigenous Action activities & donation drive for Táala Hooghan infoshop unsheltered support & operational expenses.

Indigenous Action (IA/originally Indigenous Action Media) was founded on August 25th, 2001 to provide strategic communications and direct action support for Indigenous sacred lands defense. We are a volunteer-run radical autonomous crew of anti-colonial & anti-capitalist Indigenous trouble makers & propagandists.

We generally are comprised of designers, artists, writers & frontline agitators that work together on a project by project basis (some long-term some short) for liberation for Mother Earth and all her beings. We’ve organized hundreds of actions, marches, banner drops, workshops, conferences, benefits, & much more. 100% of all proceeds directly support radical Indigenous organizing. Everything we do is based on community support. We don’t rely on grants. We’re all in for total liberation.

Some (not all) active projects & organizing we’re currently directly involved with:

  • IA Podcast+ Táala Hooghan Infoshop
  • KinłaniMutualAid.org
  • HaulNo.com
  • ProtectthePeaks.org
  • Ongoing local/regional frontline support:
  • Resource/supply distro, bail, jail support
    organizing, etc.
  • Graphic & web support for a dozen
    current Indigenous-led campaigns.

Some larger yearly expenses we need immediate support for:

  • Táala Hooghan taxes & utilities (the space has been free to use by KMA for 3 years):
    Approx. $6,000+/year.
  • Regional supply distro for Indigenous unsheltered relatives: $1,000-$3,000, we also maintain funds for emergency hotels.
  • Anti-state repression + DA support: $3,000+ varies, but we maintain an ongoing bail fund & frontline resource support.

www.indigenousaction.org

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anti-colonial

16th Annual No Thanks, No Giving!

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Indigenous Action presents:
16th Annual No Thanks, No Giving!
Food share, anti-colonial resistance & solidarity discussion circle, & online fundraiser!


DONATE: 



1:30p – 4pm
We will prepare and serve mutton stew and other foods for all who join us. Please bring any dish to contribute if you wish, we also plan on actively distributing (possibly mobile) any extra foods.

Local volunteers needed! Contact: indigenousaction@gmail.com

At 2:30p we will have a talking & action circle focused on anti-colonial resistance & solidarity. Representatives of Kinłani Mutual Aid, Haul No!, volunteers with Protect the Peaks, and autonomous organizers supporting unsheltered relatives will present & discuss upcoming actions & organizing. We will also discuss building Indigenous solidarity with local efforts to Free Palestine. Come ready to share, support and get involved! Everyone welcome!
This event is free, please bring donations for unsheltered relative support (tents, sleeping bags, tarps, jackets, etc).

This is also our yearly fundraiser for Táala Hooghan infoshop and Indigenous Action activities!
Please donate online via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/indigenousaction
Support Indigenous autonomous organizing and agitation!

*We will not host a livestream this year.

When: Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023
1:30pm – 4:00pm MST.

Where: Táala Hooghan Infoshop1704 N 2nd St, Kinłani (Occupied Flagstaff), AZ

MASKS REQUIRED This event will be held both indoors and outdoors (dress warm!) with limited indoor space. We will maintain social distancing & mask protocols for immunocompromised relatives.

For 16 years we have hosted No Thanks, No Giving! as an anti-colonial event to bring together radical Indigenous voices, share traditional foods, and benefit unsheltered relatives at Táala Hooghan Infoshop in Kinlani (Flagstaff, AZ). More info: www.indigenousaction.org

#nothanksnogiving #MutualAid #indigenousmutualaid #solidaritynotcharity

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anti-colonial

New Book: No Spiritual Surrender, Klee Benally

New Book: No Spiritual Surrender: Indigenous Anarchy in Defense of the Sacred is a searing anti-colonial analysis rooted in frontline experience.

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No Spiritual Surrender, Klee Benally Book
New Book: No Spiritual Surrender, Klee Benally

NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE & SELECT BOOKSTORES: No Spiritual Surrender: Indigenous Anarchy in Defense of the Sacred

No Spiritual Surrender: Indigenous Anarchy in Defense of the Sacred is a searing anti-colonial analysis rooted in frontline experience. Klee Benally (Diné) unrelentingly agitates against colonial politics towards Indigenous autonomy and total liberation of Nahasdzáán (Mother Earth).

Available now from Detritus Books detritusbooks.com

406 pages | $20 Nonfiction | Paperback Available in select bookshops.

About the author: Klee Benally is a Diné (Navajo) anarchist and undisciplined agitational propagandist. Originally from Black Mesa. Klee currently resides in occupied Flagstaff, Arizona. kleebenally.com, indigenousaction.org

www.detritusbooks.com

Wholesale inquiries: detritusbooks.com
Now booking speaking tour dates: indigenousaction@gmail.com

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