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Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 11:49:44 EDT
Cleveland Indians Draw Protests
.c The Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) -- American Indians who consider the Cleveland Indians'
``Chief Wahoo'' logo derogatory burned a homemade wooden coffin today outside
Jacobs Field.
About 40 protesters peacefully demonstrated outside the ballpark before the
home opener against Kansas City. As police watched from a distance, the
protesters burned the coffin which had a wooden sculpture of Chief Wahoo laid
out inside.
Similar protests against the grinning, red-faced Chief Wahoo have resulted in
arrests in recent years, but there were no arrests today.
Five protesters who were arrested on suspicion of arson last year after a
straw figure of Wahoo was burned have sued city police for allegedly
violating their civil rights.
The five, including Vernon Bellecourt, president of the American Indian
Movement, were jailed for about a day and released without being charged.
The lawsuit, filed Friday, accuses the Cleveland Police Department and former
Chief Rocco Pollutro of wrongful arrest, illegal imprisonment and violation
of the right to free speech.
``The main thrust of the Native American community is to call attention to
the racism of the Chief Wahoo logo,'' attorney Terry Gilbert said. ``Going to
Jacobs Field and demonstrating is a critical part of that.''
Cleveland police spokesman Sgt. Mark Hastings declined to comment on the
allegations because he has not seen the lawsuit.
``He's entitled to say whatever he wants to say. That's what the courts are
for,'' Hastings said.
In addition to the arrests last spring, three protesters were arrested during
the 1997 World Series after burning a straw effigy of Chief Wahoo. A
municipal judge eventually threw out the case.
AP-NY-04-12-99 1148EDT
Copyright 1998 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP
news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
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