MMIP groups and tribal councils condemn violence by federal law enforcement

Video shows that agents killed intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti, 37, on Saturday morning after he attempted to come to the aid of a woman who was pushed to the ground. A joint statement released by the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Spirit Lake Nation, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Yankton Sioux Tribe and Rosebud Sioux Tribe condemned violence by federal officers.

“As Dakota, Lakota and Indigenous Nations, we do not condone violence in any form,” the release states. The tribes are asking their citizens not to engage in protest activity that could place them at risk of harm: “While we recognize the strong emotions these events have stirred, we urge our citizens to prioritize safety.”

The statement extends condolences to the Minneapolis community, as well as to those who have lost loved ones due to violence by federal officers.

An enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate was arrested by the FBI in Minneapolis, but “information regarding potential charges remains unclear,” according to the tribes’ statement.

The release also states that the Twin Cities area is home to one of the largest urban populations of Indigenous people in the United States, with more than 35,000 Native people living in the area.

Tribes will continue working to expand access to tribal identification, according to the release. The tribes have also contacted the Department of Justice, The Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security to “seek transparency, accountability, and assurances that tribal citizens are treated lawfully, respectfully, and safely in all enforcement contexts.”

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, a tribe in Minnesota, also issued a statement. It instructs band members who are approached by ICE to “document/record the encounter and report it to the following hotline: 888-609-5006.”

MMIP Billings, a Facebook group that advocates for MMIP cases, also spoke up on the issue in a Jan. 25 post calling the “state sanctioned public executions” of Renee Good and Alex Pretti “clear violations of civil and human rights.” A flyer attached to the post reads “THE I.C.E. OCCUPATION OF MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL IS A MISSING & MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ISSUE.”

Another Native group, Indigenous Protector Movement, posted a flyer on Facebook in response to ICE activity calling for people in Minneapolis to support “community defenders” by dropping off first aid supplies and protective equipment, such as gas masks, sealed goggles and cold weather gear, at Powwow Grounds, Franklin Ave. and 14th St. An MMIP Facebook group based in Wyoming, MMIR 307, reposted the flyer.