Vigil for Freedom for Leonard Peltier in San Francisco: 'Let Leonard Breathe Fresh Air'

Article by Brenda Norrell, Censored News, June 2024

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Prayer Vigil for Freedom for Leonard Peltier, held at the U.S. Department of Justice, honored the Ohlone people whose land the people stood on, and honored Peltier for the stand he took for the Lakota people on Pine Ridge before he was imprisoned 49 years ago.

"It would be very cruel if the parole board denies him his freedom," said Tony Gonzales, AIM West, pointing out that Peltier's last parole hearing was in 2009. The vigil was held on June 10, the same day as Peltier's parole hearing at Coleman Prison in Florida.

Peltier's nephew Adam Villagomez, Dakota Chippewa, said Peltier went to Pine Ridge to help the people. "When the grandmas asked for help, to come protect them, to please come help them from being attacked, just for being traditional people, for standing up, standing up for traditional rights, he went there, and put his life on the line and started working with the community." Villagomez' mother is the first cousin of Leonard Peltier.

"They were willing to put their lives on the line," he said, speaking on living life from the heart.

The warriors of those days, those in the American Indian Movement, and those here at Alcatraz, still carry the light of resistance.

"Leonard Peltier is a symbol of the resistance," he said, remembering the resistors like Leonard Crow Dog and the mothers who held on to their children, and hid them, to keep them from being taken away to boarding schools.

Peltier was among those who stood up, mending the hoop, for the next generation.

"Leonard Peltier is a symbol of the continued oppression of the United States against our people."

"Our people have not died, we have survived attempted genocide."

Welcoming Palestinians, George said the same playbook that was used on American Indians was used on Palestinians. "When we say 'Free Leonard Peltier' we say 'Free Palestine,' we say 'Free them all,'" George told the gathering.

"We are all connected," he said, of all creation.

"The most traded commodity in the world is fossil fuel oil," he said, pointing out the grab for resources in the region of Palestine.

"The United States is a dishonorable entity," he said, pointing out the broken treaties and failure of the U.S. to honor its words. Grandmas and grandpas say, "you're only as good as your word."

"If you're only as good as your word -- the United States is worthless."

At Jumping Bull camp, the American Indian Movement was defending land and life.

"What the hell were FBI agents doing on the reservation?"

"That was an infringement of sovereignty. They were there to undermine traditional people, because part of genocide is culturecide," George said, adding that the traditional people were on one side, and Dickie Wilson and the GOON squad was on the other side, they were the colonized agents.

George said Peltier has been incarcerated 49 years for a crime he did not commit, and needs to be able to breathe the fresh air.

"They can jail the body -- but they can never, ever jail the spirit."

During the talks, prayers and songs led by Round Valley Yuki Resistance, law enforcement outside the Department of Justice blasted from a megaphone the threat of arrests, "This is federal property."

Morning Star Gali responded, "This is your notice that you are on stolen land." She called out a stern notice of cease and desist to law enforcement.

"This is your notice that you are on stolen land!"

"This is your notice that for 47 years we have called for freedom for Leonard Peltier!" Morning Star said, delivering a stern notice of cease and dissent to law enforcement on stolen land, calling out a notice for eviction and for federal agents to pay their rent.

"We will not be leaving in an hour, our Palestinian relatives will not be leaving, they have permission to be here by our California Indian relatives to be here to offer songs and prayers."

"You can cease and desist, but we are not leaving!" Morning Star said.

Wounded Knee said, "First of all I want you to pay attention to what the American Indian Movement has to say." Directing powerful words to law enforcement who were threatening arrest, Wounded Knee said, "We are peaceful people, don't turn violence on us. Don't come over here with your billy clubs to beat us."

Wounded Knee told law enforcement to take his message to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"This is what your ancestors did to our people: They tortured our people, they raped our people. You guys came here to visit our planet on Turtle Island. You are peace officers, not violent officers, you took an oath, and we took an oath to protect Mother Earth as Indigenous Peoples."

"We are all Earth People."

Amnesty International's representative told the prayer vigil, "This is the opportunity for the U.S. government to free Leonard." "Amnesty has been fighting for his freedom."

Morning Star, responding to the threat of arrests, called out to law enforcement telling them that the people do not get a permit to be on their own land.

Welcoming Palestinians to the vigil, Gonzales said, "Palestine has always been our heart. We are the same people. They are the Indians of Palestine, we are the Palestinians of North America."

Gonzales' TV program, “Eagle and Condor,” airs on Sundays at 4 pm Pacific time, with live-streaming at http://www.aim-west.org

"We are all praying for Leonard at this time and for a positive decision to be rendered from the US Parole Board by July 1," Gonzales said.

Watch "Eagle and Condor." Prayer Vigil video by First Look Media on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojOsZuCwcmY

Information: http://www.freeleonardpeltiernow.org

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