Sogorea Te Protesters Hopeful, but Deadline for Resolution Imposed

Sogorea Te Sacred Site Protest Day 96

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

100 American Indians at Red Shirt Protest 100 Red Shirt Protesters

VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA - As the summer continues, the protesters at Sogorea Te, commonly known as Glen Cove, continue their spiritual encampment and entered their thirteenth week last Thursday.

Last week, the protesters attended two meetings - at the Vallejo City Hall and the Greater Vallejo Recreation District - to push for an easement that may be a "win-win" for all concerned parties.

About 100 American Indians, wearing red shirts, came out to support the position that Sogorea Te is a sacred burial site.

Vallejo City Hall and the Greater Vallejo Recreation District Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo

"As far as I am concerned, there can be no compromise here," Norman "Wounded Knee" DeOcampo told the Native News Network on Sunday evening. "We will go for an easement there, but what it means to me is, there will be no bathrooms, no parking lot, no grading of the area, no trail and no benches."

Wounded Knee has been at the forefront of the protest and has been fighting the city officials and recreation district employees for the past 12 years on this issue.

The protesters have been at Sogorea Te since mid-April to stop the construction of two bathrooms and a parking lot that would accommodate 15 automobiles. Vallejo is twenty-five miles from San Francisco.

July 26 Deadline Imposed

At the Tuesday night city council meeting, an area resident came before the city council to demand that the city enforce its park ordinances. She proceeded to tell the city council that the protest was a "tent city occupied by an unlawful band of people."

If the answer by the city's mayor is an indication, there may be a deadline imposed by city officials.

Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis gave her this response: " … we hope to have something back, hopefully a full resolution by the 26th of this month. Now, one thing or other is going to happen. We're either going to have an easement, or we're going to give staff direction to enforce the law. That's the bottom line."

posted July 18, 2011 11:15 am edt