Water Protector Grand Jury Anti-Repression Tour Stop on The Rosebud Reservation

The Water Protector Anti-Repression Crew visited the Rosebud Reservation in Sicangu Lakota Oyate territory, to share knowledge about resistance to the grand jury convened against water protectors at Standing Rock, and more generally to build our capacities for strong movement defense against state repression.

NoDAPL water protectors and legal team members facilitated a 2-hour training on resisting state and legal repression. The presentation included brief history on government, state and legal repression of indigenous and earth liberation movements; the basics of grand juries and how to resist them; and updates on the federal cases of Red Fawn and the grand jury case convened against Water Protector Steve Martinez and others.

Attendees gained valuable information in the struggle for Indigenous sovereignty, earth liberation and land/water defense, and exchanged tools for imagining a future without oppression. This meeting was especially timely and relevant, as the government begins moving to develop the Keystone Pipeline (Just 30 miles from the Rosebud Reservation!) while simultaneously ramping up its repression against those who stand in resistance to extraction (as in the case of Red Fawn, Steve Martinez and others).

The event was attended by a small but committed group of Water Protectors and their relatives. Future events will be advertised via tribal radio and flyering in the more rural and isolated tribal communities, in hopes of connecting more supportive individuals. The isolation of reservation life, and the distrust of outsiders/non-native organizers present an obstacle to radical organizing on Rosebud. It appears that the more challenging dynamics of Standing Rock Prove true elsewhere, but there is lots of opportunity for building networks of solidarity and coalition, with talk of a Water Protector camp on the Keystone, and the established camp on the Cheyenne River Sioux/Lakota Reservation some hours north of The Rosebud Reservation.

As the many frontlines continue to emerge across Turtle Island, it is important to gather together in this way and exchange information that will help us better resist state and legal repression, while also helping us to seize initiative and make tactical gains.

The fight isn’t over at Standing Rock, as nearly 800 Water Protectors continue their battles in the courtrooms with some facing federal felony indictments that carry a potential of 15 years in federal prison. The grand jury convened against water protectors continues, as does the resistance to it. Strong movements and interdependent relationships make us resilient against attempts to shut down our struggle.

Mni Wiconi! Fire to the Prisons! Resist pipelines, resist prisons, resist the prison pipeline!

TOUR DATES – PLEASE CONTACT WPANTIREPRESSION@PROTONMAIL IF YOU’D LIKE TO HOST A WORKSHOP IN YOUR TERRITORY OR COMMUNITY!

April 12th – Flagstaff, AZ – Event here. 

April 13th – Tucson, AZ – Location TBA

April 15th – Phoenix, AZ – Want to host? Email [email protected]

April 16th – Los Angeles, CA – Want to host? Email [email protected]

April 17th – Santa Cruz, CA – Want to host? Email [email protected]

April 18th – Oakland, CA – Event here

April 20th – Eugene, OR – Want to host? Email [email protected]

April 21st – Portland, OR – Location TBA

April 22nd – Olympia, OR – Rising S.P.R.I.N.G. Convergence

April 24th – Seattle, WA – Location TBA

(Artwork provided by: Jackie Fawn Illustrations)

---