Indian Patrol Curbs Arrest, Leader Says

Background: Many of the thousands of Native Americans who left their reservations under the “termination”  policies of the 1950s faced discrimination, harassment, low-wage labor, and substandard housing. In July 1968, Indigenous community leaders in Minneapolis called a meeting to address these problems. The American Indian Movement (AIM) was formed. One of the organization's first activities was the AIM Patrol, a volunteer group modeled on the Black Panthers’ street patrols, whose goal was to prevent police harassment. The patrols walked the streets, observing and documenting police actions. They used walkie-talkies to keep others informed and sought to minimize interactions between Native Americans and the police.

There have been no arrests on Franklin Av. E. since the American Indian Patrol, organized five weeks ago, began walking the street on Friday and Saturday nights to stop alleged police harassment of Indians, a patrol leader said Tuesday.

The report was made by Clyde Bellecourt to a meeting of the American Indian Movement (AIM) formerly known as the Concerned Indian American Coalition.

“Up until we started, there were six or seven arrests a night on weekends. I think people are finally recognizing the patrol for what it is,” Bellecourt, temporary chairman of AIM said.

He related an incident last weekend when police asked patrol members, who are volunteers, to help them stop a possible shooting in the area. The patrol members were successful, he said.

He asked for more volunteers at last night’s meeting and reported that the patrol now has its own radio communications system and can work without the aid of the other groups. . . .

Bellecourt announced plans to set up an AIM office using a ,000 anonymous gift from a church organization.

And, he said, AIM will hold a Wild Rice Festival and Pow-Wow Oct. 4 and 5 at St. Stephens Catholic Church, 22nd and Clinton Av.

It was also announced that members of the group will demand a public apology for a cartoon that appeared in The Sunday Picture Magazine of the Minneapolis Tribune on Sept. 1.

The demand will be made at 10 a.m. today in the office of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department, where the artist and his lawyer have been requested to appear, according to Mrs. Bellecourt.

Source: Marilyn Becerra, “Indian Patrol Curbs Arrests, Leader Says,” Minneapolis Tribune, September 18, 1986.