#indigenouspeoplesday
IPD3 UPDATE: Judge Postpones Trial Again for Flagstaff Indigenous Peoples’ Day Demonstrators
Flagstaff, AZ — Trial has once again been postponed for three social and environmental justice advocates who are facing charges stemming from a 2018 Indigenous Peoples’ Day demonstrat
IPD3, Left to right: Sumayyah Dawud, Klee Benally, attorney Lee Phillips, & Alejandra Becerra
ion. Alejandra Becerra, Klee Benally, and Sumayyah Dawud, also known as the “Indigenous Peoples’ Day 3,” (IPD3) are continuing to fight what they denounce as a political attack.
Although trial for IPD3 was supposed to occur yesterday, an evidentiary hearing on motions filed by IPD3’s defense attorney Lee Phillips, was held. The judge decided to schedule another evidentiary hearing to give the prosecutor more time to respond to the defense’s motions
At this point trial looks like it may be rescheduled for late February or March.
On December 17th, 2019 attorney Lee Phillips filed a Motion and Memorandum of Law raising Selective Enforcement and Vindictive Prosecution as an issue for defense. No response was given by the State until the day of a scheduled Case Management Conference on January 7th, 2020, at which the prosecutor objected to the defense and urged the judge to deny it. The judge presiding stated she needed more time to review all motions.
Flagstaff attorney Lee Phillips, who is representing the three defendants, expressed that his clients have been “Targeted because of their political views and expression.”
The judge was only recently assigned to the case, due to the State prosecutor requesting the change because of comments made by the previous judge questioning why the State was going to trial on such minor infractions. However, the State pushed for trial to commence on January 16th, 2020 despite having filed objections to the defense at the last minute. The prosecutor appeared frustrated that the defense was prepared to call on 23 witnesses for trial, which include current and former Flagstaff City Council members as well as others who are mentioned in reports the State is relying on for prosecution. The evidence that has been disclosed shows extensive surveillance on known local organizers.
Support the IPD3 crowdfunding campaign to pay for legal expenses here: www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-ipd3
Help spread awareness leading up to the trial using the hashtags: #indigenouspeoplesdayFlagstaff #supportIPD3
More information: www.indigenousaction.org/idp3
Background:
On October 8, 2018 more than 40 people rallied and marched through Downtown Flagstaff to denounce the City of Flagstaff’s “hypocritical” declaration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The rally was held as a call for justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, highlight the criminalization of migrants that leads to mass deportations and detentions, accountability of the City of Flagstaff for their role in desecrating the San Francisco Peaks, ending criminalization of unsheltered community members, and to address the disproportionate level of racial profiling and arrests Indigenous people face.
Nearly a dozen Flagstaff police officers used body cameras to monitor and document the demonstration. Flagstaff Police Department and the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Task Force then launched a weeks-long investigation that used social media and an unidentified informant to file misdemeanor criminal charges of “Obstructing a Public Thoroughfare.” A total of eleven people were initially charged. Seven of those charged agreed to a plea deal with the option of 40 hours of community service or paying a $150 fine.
Rejecting Indigenous Peoples’ Day of Tokenism
Hosts Klee and Bonn talk with some awesome guests & revisit our 2017 ‘zine “Uprooting Colonialism: The Limitations of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” We dig into the questions, “How do whitewashed celebrations of Indigenous Peoples Day undermine decolonization?” and “What does it mean to be an anti-colonial abolitionist?”
Guests:
Amrah Salomón J. is a writer, artist, activist, and educator of Mexican, O’odham and Tohono O’odham, and European ancestry.
@oodhamantiborder, @defendoodhamjewed, Cashapp: $DefendOodhamJewed, Paypal.me/DefendOodhamJewed, Venmo: @DefendOodhamJewed
Kittie Kuntagion, @kittiekuntagion
Andrew Pedro, @desert.dweller.58 Got tired of seeing disapointing activist bullshit, now focused on music. Organizes metal/punk shows on and of the Rez.
Hosts:
Bonn: @bonnabella.xvx, Venmo: bonnabellaxvx
Klee: @kleebenally
About the podcast: Indigenous Action is an autonomous anti-colonial broadcast with unapologetic and claws-out analysis towards total liberation. We feature radical frontline Indigenous voices and dig deep into critical issues impacting our communities. So take your seat by this fire and may the bridges we burn together, light our way. www.indigenousaction.org/podcast
Email us at IAInfo@protonmail.com.
Subscribe, like, share on iTunes | Spotify, and Youtube.
Read the ‘zine here: https://www.indigenousaction.org/uprooting-colonialism-the-limitations-of-indigenous-peoples-day/
From the 2017 ‘zine: “…if the state dismantles these statues and proclaims Indigenous Peoples’ Days, what do we actually achieve if the structures and systems rooted in colonial violence remain intact? Is it merely political posturing or window dressing to diminish liberatory agitations? Our senses are heightened as most re-brandings of Columbus Day into IPD appear to whitewash ongoing colonial legacies… If the goal is for Indigenous autonomy, liberation of the land, people, and other beings, then why plead with our oppressors to merely acknowledge or recognize our existence?…To claim Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an act of decolonization is a failure of liberal assimilationists… Symbolically ending Columbus’ legacy while continuing to perpetuate and benefit from the violence of the ‘doctrine of discovery’ is just one more dead-end direction of Indigenous liberalism. If we understand that colonization has always been war, then why are we fighting a battle for recognition and affirmation through colonial power structures?… Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as a process of collusion with occupying state forces, risks becoming a colonial patriotic ritual more than anything that amounts to liberation.”
Direct action training, workshop, & panel discussion with Haul No! Protect the Peaks, Indigenous Action, & Louise Benally.
Friday, Oct 13th, 4p-8p
Free (bring a warm clothing/sleeping bag/tent donation for unsheltered relatives).
At Mayan Winds Coffee Emporium
2144 N 4th St. Flagstaff AZ
*Masks required!*
How do whitewashed celebrations of Indigenous Peoples’ Day undermine decolonization?
What ways can you directly support regional anti-colonial struggles?
Schedule:
4:00p-5:30p – Direct Action training
5:30p – Haul No! Resisting Nuclear Colonialism workshop
6:15p – Break for food (Provided, w gluten free & vegan options avail.)
6:45p – Panel Discussion: Supporting Regional Indigenous Resistance Struggles
8:30p – end
Celebrate and support ongoing frontline Indigenous resistance struggles!
This is a call for an Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage Against Colonialism on Sunday, October 9, 2022, everywhere.
We heard that mass actions are a bit out of fashion this season & lone wolfs or affinity groups are all the rage.
Counter the spectacle of the “good, respectable Indian” and their mundane celebrations of assimilation. Your ancestors invite you to embrace the veracious criminality of anti-colonial struggle and be smart (don’t get caught).
A banner drop? An attack on colonial symbols, monuments, etc. Spray paint? A broken window here, a burning xxxxxxx there? Be fierce and fabulously unpredictable and strike in the darkest part of the night (points if you use glitter). Even the smallest Indigenous dreams of liberation are greater than the settler nightmares we live everyday.
We won’t be making any lists or asking for emails this year due to a heightened sense for the need of greater security culture. Though we will post any securely and anonymously sent reports and pics in the aftermath.
In the spirit of Jane’s Revenge, abort colonialism. Colonizer (c)laws off our bodies!
– The insurrectionary anti-colonial invisible council of IPDR.
https://indigenouspeoplesdayofrage.org/
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