Native Americans to file civil rights complaint to stop desecration of Glen Cove

Press Advisory: For Immediate Release April 12, 2010

Sacred Sites Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes

Contact: Wounded Knee (707) 373-7195; Corrina Gould (510) 575-8408; Bradley Angel (415) 722-5270

As bulldozers may be arriving any day at the Glen Cove burial and shell mound site, Native Americans to file civil rights complaint with the state of California against Greater Vallejo Recreation District and city of Vallejo

Complaint alleges GRVD & city are violating civil rights of Native Americans by moving forward with plans that would desecrate Glen Cove ancient burial site

Press conference Wednesday, April 13, 2011, 12 noon in front of Vallejo City Hall, 555 Santa ClaraStreet

Vallejo, CA – Faced with the possible imminent arrival of bulldozers at the Glen Cove ancient burial site, Native Americans will file an administrative civil rights complaint on April 13, 2011 with the State of California against the Greater Vallejo Recreation District and the City of Vallejo. A press conference will be held in front of Vallejo City Hall, 555 Santa Clara Street, on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at noon.

Sacred Site Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) is filing the complaint under California Government Code § 11135 alleging that the City and GVRD are discriminating on the basis of race in threatening to destroy and desecrate significant parts of the Glen Cove Shellmound and burial site, for harming Native Americans’ religious and spiritual well-being, and effectively excluding Native Americans from their right to full participation in the decision-making regarding this project.

The Glen Cove Shell Mound is a well-documented and culturally significant site located in Vallejo, California, and spans an area of fifteen acres along the Carquinez Strait. It is the final resting place of many Indigenous People dating back more than 3,500 years, and has served as a traditional meeting place for dozens of California Indian tribes. The site continues to be spiritually important to California tribes.

The Glen Cove site is acknowledged by GVRD and the City to have many burials and to be an important cultural site, yet they are moving forward as early as this week with plans to build a toilet and parking lot on this sacred site and to grade a hill that likely contains human remains and important cultural artifacts. Native Americans and their supporters have vowed to protest any effort that could desecrate the sacred burial site.

Native Americans are a class of people protected from unlawful discrimination in state-funded activities and programs. Intentional discrimination against minority populations is prohibited under Cal. Gov. Code § 11135(a). As recipients of state funding, GVRD and the City are subject to this law and cannot violate the civil rights of Native Americans.

In addition, SSP&RIT will announce more details about plans to protect Glen Cove from desecration.

"Everyone has the right to a final resting place. Our ancestors deserve to have a resting place on their original land without the threat of being removed for the sake of a park,” said Corrina Gould, Ohlone resident of the Bay Area. “Other countries realize the significance of ancestors and honor the ancient cemeteries by not disturbing them. Who does it ultimately serve to complete this project? Let our ancestors rest."

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