Nady Protesters Met with Taunting by His Daughter's High School Friends

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges. Discussion »

PIEDMONT, CALIFORNIA - American Indian protesters who are opposed to business magnate John Nady constructing a vacation home on Rattlesnake Island were met with taunting and heckling on Saturday as they braved the steep terrain walking up to Nady's residence in the wealthy suburb of Piedmont.

The Protesters walk was a peace walk to bring attention to the Nady's refusal to respect Indian rights.

Piedmont Police officers monitored the situation as the high school students kept taunting the protesters with statements like: "Don't come into our neighborhood" and "He made his money, he can spend it any way he wants."

American Indian protesters were visibly angered by the rude and ungracious taunting comments. It was quite obvious the boys have no clue as to rights of indigenous peoples. The boys followed the protesters to Piedmont Community Park where they stopped to rest and join in a circle.

One of the high boys mockingly and sarcastically yelled, "I'm sorry about making nuclear waste!" as Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo, Modoc spiritual man spoke.

A police officer told the Native News Network the boys were not identified yet.

Soon thereafter, it was determined the boys were friends of John Nady's unidentified high school daughter.

The American Indian protesters, the majority from the San Francisco Bay Area and other supporters, simply ignored the boys.

John Nady is a wealthy businessman, who pioneered wireless technology. His company, Nady, Inc. is the leading source of the wireless microphones of touring singers and musicians in the music industry.

Nady also owns property on Rattlesnake Island, a 57-acre island that lies a few hundred feet offshore from the federally-recognized Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians, on the eastern end of Clear Lake about 125-miles north of San Francisco.

Historically, there was a village, burial sites and ceremonial grounds of the Elem Indian Colony on Rattlesnake Island. The Tribe can trace thousands of years of ties to the island. The island was stolen from the Pomo in 1877, when it was deeded to settlers as private property in a supposed "clerical error". Ever since that time, the Elem Pomo have been fighting to regain traditional ownership of the land, and to halt various development projects.

Nady wants to erect a house, a caretaker's residence and stand-alone bathroom on property he owns on the island. In order to bring electricity, gas and water to these houses and bathroom, utility trenching is required. The Elem Indian Colony is opposed to Nady's plans.

The protesters assembled outside the Oakland Public Library's Lakeview Branch and discussed the purpose of the walk and were reminded that the walk was a peace walk to bring attention to the Nady's refusal to respect Indian rights.

Once in front of Nady's residence, the protesters sang the American Indian Movement anthem and several speakers spoke.

It is not known if Nady was home at the time the protesters were present in front of his house.

posted December 18, 2011 12:30 am est