Russell Means and Glen Morris, leaders of the American Indian Movement, were amongst the 147 people - including Indians from as far as California, Oklahoma and South Dakota - who were arrested by Denver police for blocking the path of the October 8 Columbus Day Parade. They were charged with loitering and disobeying a lawful order.
The 500-strong bevy of protesters considers Columbus to have been the harbinger of genocide in the Americas and also the instigator of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Columbus Day, in their eyes, should be considered a day of mourning by all Nations.
The protesters were particularly disappointed with the organizers of the Day's festivities. An agreement had been reached between the American Indian delegation and Parade officials to remove all reference to Christopher Columbus from the parade. Instead, the focus of the celebrations would be the Italian-American heritage and attendees would honor their pledge. But they reneged. As Glen Morris said, "They could not find it in their hearts to do so." The protesters faced a storm of abuse from the gathered crowds who hearlded Columbus as a hero-ancestor who came in the name of Christ.
After his release, Russell Means said that American Indians would begin to lobby Congress for the removal of Columbus Day as a federal holiday. He also said that next year, the "wall of racism" and "trailer-trash mentality" in Denver would be defeated.
Ian McIntosh is the senior editor at Cultural Survival.
