Members of indigenous groups joined forces with Black Lives Matters organizers and other protesters on Saturday afternoon near Olvera Street in a peaceful and masked protest and a march that called for various actions, such as unity among minorities and recognition of the nation’s many sins on his birthday.
Some burned incense, tobacco, and sage, others spoke of the “July Farce”, and many marched to Grand Park and beyond with posters calling for the abolition of ICE, the “police disbursement” and justice for Andrés Guardado, Breonna Taylor. , George Floyd and others killed by the police.
The indigenous leader Shannon Rivers, from the Akimel O’otham village, called some 400 gatherers to “decolonize” their minds. He said that the current spread of the coronavirus, which has caused more than 125,000 deaths, was not the first plague to visit this continent.
The Europeans “brought many pandemics” to the peoples of the Americas, Rivers said, drawing applause from a largely socially distanced crowd. Rather than celebrating with fireworks, she said, it would be better to understand “the many lies” taught to young Americans who prop up white supremacy at the expense of all indigenous peoples and minorities.
One falsehood referenced was the Declaration of Independence, which gave “white men” freedom at the expense of everyone else, Rivers said. She also noted that the US military was unable to protect Vanessa Guillén, a Latino soldier killed in Ft. Hood, who signed up to defend this country.
Rivers also asked Black Lives Matter to join the indigenous movement before saying forcefully, “Black lives matter.”
The first group of people began to congregate near the grassy terrain adjacent to the Padre Serra Park, where a group of protesters that included many indigenous people destroyed a statute of the camp’s namesake on June 20.
There were blessings and prayers before the march, along with songs by indigenous groups, performances by Mexican dancers, capoeirista drums and songs for Black Lives Matters, and speeches by members and sponsors of Black Lives Matters. A young woman who claimed to be from the Palestinian Youth Movement called for a “free and free Palestine.”
As people gathered, there was little social distancing, although the vast majority of the participants were masked. Organizer Jessa Calderón, from the Tongva Nation, quickly requested that the growing group maintain six feet of distance, which was generally followed, except in sections of the march along Arcadia Street, where some corridors were narrow.
Protesters momentarily blocked traffic along Alameda and later on Spring Street, causing brief traffic delays. Calderón also spoke passionately about justice for Guillén, saying that “my heart extends to her family and to all who love her and is marching in search of answers.
Throughout the march, Calderón pointed to historical parts of Tongva’s homeland, including what he said was a native cemetery near Olvera Street that had been paved to make room for parking.
One of the largest communities in Tongva was a settlement called Yagna, which is believed to be close to the Civic Center.
Dakota / Ho-Chunk tribe member George Funmaker, 37, made the short trip from Long Beach in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and to set the record straight.
Funmaker said “protesters” was the wrong designation for those who rallied for social justice, preferring instead to use the term “protectors.”
“We have come in peace to say that we are with our Black Lives Matters brothers and sisters and other indigenous movements across the country,” said Funmaker. “Our goal is a safe society where our children and grandchildren can live in peace.”
Funmaker wore a black scarf covering his face and the top of a black T-shirt with a deformed version of the Cleveland Indians baseball team mascot known as “Chief Wahoo.”
Typically, depictions of Chief Wahoo depict a red-faced Indian with a giant, toothy smile and a feather taped to the back of his head. The Funmaker version had blackened eyes, a cut nose, and broken teeth with the words “bug” underneath.
He called on American professional and college sports teams to remove all references to Native Americans, such as Cleveland, the Atlanta Braves, the Florida state Seminoles, and perhaps the most notorious of all, the Washington Redskins soccer team.
“We are not pets,” said Funmaker. She also expressed her disappointment with the attention of the mainstream media on President Trump’s speech at Mt.. Rushmore on Friday about how little attention was focused on the Lakota-led protests earlier in the day.
“The Black Hills, where Mt. Rushmore is located, is sacred to the Lakota,” said Funmaker. “That’s where the focus should be.”
