Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee flyer

* Content warning: settler colonialism, political prisoners, state sanctioned violence of Indigenous people *

Label

Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee flyer

Creator

NYC Chapter, Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee; Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group

Object Type

Flyers and Handouts

Description

*Content warning: This caption includes description of settler colonialism, political prisoners, and state sanctioned violence of Indigenous people* When John Paul Montano authored his open letter critiquing Occupy Wall Street's failure to center Indigenous people—and its use of colonial language, framing, and tactics—one of his recommendations to Occupy Wall Street was that Occupy "Demand immediate freedom for Indigenous political prisoner Leonard Peltier." This flyer, created by the NYC Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee, in support of Leonard Peltier's clemency application, circulated through the Occupy Wall Street movement. Peltier is a member of the American Indian Movement who has been a political prisoner since 1977. He was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder following a shootout at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota that led to the deaths of two FBI agents. Peltier admitted to being present at the shootout, but still denies that he shot the FBI agents. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have argued for clemency due to inconsistencies in the prosecution's case, but he remains in prison.

Image Description

At the top of this two-page, typescript flyer is a photograph of Leonard Peltier. He is wearing a collared button-up shirt and looking to his left at the camera. To the left of the photograph is text that reads "Leonard Peltier Needs Your Help. Please sign the Online Petition for Native American Political Prisoner Leonard Peltier." Below, the NYC Chapter of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee provides directions on how to sign their petition, and note that they need 5,000 signatures. The second page provides a history of Peltier's wrongful incarceration.

Citation

Leonard Peltier flyer, circa 2011-2012; TAM.630 Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group Records; box 36, folder 17; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University

Collection

Occupy Working Group TAM.630

Themes

• Policing, Police Brutality, and the Prison Industrial Complex
• Inequality and Discrimination
• Grassroots Organizing and Mutual Aid

Declarations

• They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad.
• They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.