Drop the charges against NDN Collective President & CEO Nick Tilsen
Pennington County State's Attorney Mark Vargo
On July 3rd, 2020, 20 protestors were attacked by police and then arrested for defending the Black Hills on Lakota homelands in South Dakota. These protestors, also known as “land defenders,” were demanding the closure of “Mt. Rushmore” returning of Indigenous Lands (LandBack) and protesting Trump’s pre-Independence Day visit -- an unwelcome intrusion on stolen land.
Among them was Nick Tilsen, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation, father of four and President & CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous organization dedicated to building Indigenous power and building justice and equity for all people and the planet. Tilsen is believed to have been unjustly targeted by law enforcement and the state’s attorney office for his leadership role at the protest. He was arrested and detained for 3 days. He now faces the most egregious charges: 5 criminal charges including 2 felonies, and up to 15 years in prison.
We demand that State’s Attorney Mark Vargo drop all charges against Nick Tilsen.
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Pennington County State's Attorney Mark Vargo
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On July 3rd, 2020, 20 protestors were attacked by police and then arrested for defending the Black Hills in Lakota homelands South Dakota. These protestors, also known as “land defenders,” were demanding the closure of “Mt. Rushmore” and protesting Trump’s pre-Independence Day visit -- an unwelcome intrusion on stolen land.
Among them was Nick Tilsen, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation and President and CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous organization dedicated to building Indigenous power building justice and equity all people and the planet. Tilsen was unjustly targeted for his leadership role at the protest. He was arrested and detained for 3 days. He now faces the most egregious charges: 5 criminal charges including 2 felonies, and up to 15 years in prison.
We demand that State’s Attorney Mark Vargo drop all charges against Nick Tilsen.
There is a long history of persecuting Indigenous leadership and trying to separate leadership away from the groups they work with. There is also a long history of attempting to make it illegal for Indigenous people to stand up for their lives, lands, or water. The persecution of Tilsen is consistent with what is happening to BIPOC leadership throughout this nation at this moment in history, and we must put a stop to it.
In particular, Governor Kristi Noem has engaged in a multi-year racist assault against Indigenous people, and the police -- under the leadership of Sheriff Kevin Thom -- have over-policed communities across the state with such brutality that Indigenous people account for the majority of all arrests in the state despite being only 10% of South Dakota's total population.
At the Black Hills, Sheriff Thom escalated the situation quickly by using pepper spray and riot gear even though the land defenders were engaging in a peaceful protest.
NO MORE. We all must use our collective voice to combat this type of racism.
It’s time to stand with the protesters of the #LandBack movement, defend Nick Tilsen, and advocate for his freedom.
“We have to act in courage and bravery.” -Nick Tilsen