Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous elder, has been held as a political prisoner in U.S. jails for 40 years; September 12 is his 71st birthday. A leading member of the American Indian Movement at the time, in 1977, Leonard Peltier was wrongfully convicted for the murders of 2 FBI Agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The occupation of Wounded Knee and the US government’s “reign of terror” over the reservation led to an incident on June 26, 1975, in which three men were killed: two F.B.I. Agents; Jack Coler and Ron Williams as well as a young Indigenous man, Joe Stuntz Killsight. “The use of constitutional violations, witness coercions, evidence tampering, and a myriad other violations of justice put Leonard in prison and have kept him there for almost 40 years,” said his defense committee.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network stands in solidarity with and calls for freedom for Leonard Peltier and all political prisoners in US jails. We particularly note the struggle of Leonard Peltier and his resistance to settler colonialism on Indigenous land, a just struggle which is reflected as well in Palestinian resistance today, and the ongoing and unceasing resistance of Indigenous people to Canadian, US, Australian, New Zealander and other settler colonial projects. Free Leonard Peltier!
We salute Leonard Peltier and his fellow Indigenous strugglers on his 71st birthday and encourage all to participate in events and activities marking this anniversary. We redistribute the following alert from the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee.
Month of Global Action
September 2015 is the Month of Global Action for Leonard Peltier! Take part. Anything you do in September will be amplified and every day counts!
Call President Obama for Leonard Peltier: 202-456-1111; email President Obama:http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Birthday Greetings
Don’t forget to send a birthday card or letter to Leonard Peltier before September 12th:
Leonard Peltier #89637-132
USP Coleman I
P.O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521
Calendar of Events
- Portland, OR: Leonard Peltier B-Day Bash. 12 Sep 2015
- Carson City, NV: Birthday Round Dance for Leonard Peltier. 12 Sep 2015
- NYC: “Warrior, the Life of Leonard Peltier.” 12 Sep 2015
- San Jose: Honoring Leonard Peltier on His 71st Birthday. 12 Sep 2015
- San Francisco, CA: 71st Birthday Party for Leonard Peltier
Are you hosting an event? Let us know. Share press, photos, social network posts, etc., with us (contact@whoisleonardpeltier.
Not everyone can host an event, but there are easy things you can do in your home or community. Here are some ideas.
Discover more from Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
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