What was initially planned as a New Year’s Eve celebration
round dance on the one-year anniversary of an Idle No More solidarity
demonstration turned into confrontation between Native American
activists and Mall of America management.
Security
was on high alert on New Year’s Eve, asking patrons to open their
coats and checking bags at every entrance. At the west parking
entrance, security also asked patrons for identification before
entering the shopping complex. The increased presence was used to
identify any individuals carrying a hand drum for the aborted round
dance.
Organizers
Patricia Shepard, Idle No More-Minnesota, and Reyna Crow, Idle No
More Duluth, were arrested and charged with criminal trespassing
after refusing to leave, directly after a press conference held
outside of the Mall of America. They were released later that evening
but their arrest sparked outrage from Native activists from across
the region.
“What
is sad is the two women tried to explain that the American Indian
community simply wanted to do a round dance as the New Year is coming
in. The round dance was not a protest,” Sarah LittleRedfeather
Kalmanson, Idle No More-Wisconsin said. “The Idle No More New Years
Eve Round Dance is in honor of healing and renewal of relationship
between our Communities and in honor of the Dakota 38, Wounded Knee,
Chief Theresa Spence, and the four founding women of Idle No More:
Nina Waste, Sylvia McAdam, Sheelah Mclean, and Jessica Gordon.”
In
December 2012, Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat First Nation
in Canada began a hunger strike in response to the Canadian
parliament’s budget omnibus bill, C-45, which she contended contended
was an erosion of tribal treaty rights. Her actions sparked
international solidarity demonstrations from indigenous populations.
In the Twin Cities area, Native activists gathered en masse at the
Mall of America to execute a round dance in solidarity with the Idle
No More movement.
According
to a press release leading up to the 2013 event, the two organizers
reached out to management on Dec. 30, but were refused a meeting with
mall officials.
In a
letter, dated Dec. 23 and sent to organizers affiliated with Idle No
More in the state and the Twin Cities, the Mall of America
management team forewarned of possible arrest. “Any attempt by your
group to conduct a protest is a violation of MOA policies and will
subject your group to removal from MOA property, and potential arrest
by the City of Bloomington police department. Although your group
attempted a gathering last year on MOA property, a similar attempt
will not be tolerated and we will utilize additional actions to
prohibit any such gathering, including trespassing the organizers of
the protest. The Idle No More group caused disruption to our
customers, tenants and employees, and resulted in a significant
commitment of time and resources by our security and management
teams. The protest was in violation of our policies governing
protests and demonstrations at Mall of America, and we will not
condone or sanction any event. Mall of America is a private
commercial retail center, and we prohibit all forms of protest,
demonstration, and public debate, including political activity aimed
at organizing political or social groups. The issue was litigated in
City of Bloomington vs. Freeman Wicklund, et al.”
Shepard
was undeterred, releasing a statement, “The global disconnection
and historical pain within our communities and Mother Earth has
called for healing, and renewal for the coming New Year, 2014."
"We
don’t allow protests in Mall of America and haven’t in 21 years,"
Maureen Bausch, Executive Vice President of Business Development said
to press. "It clearly did not have to happen."
While
the Shepard and Crow made the attempt, organizers from Idle No
More-Twin Cities and AIM of Twin Cities cited the danger of arrest to
singers and dancer as the reason for withdrawal from the event in
social media updates. “We have consulted our Elders on this issue
and they have deemed it unnecessary for our people to be arrested for
an unclear cause. Creative differences have caused bad blood and the
Round Dance is not predicated on good terms.”
