A group of Native American protesters blocked the road leading to Mount Rushmore this Friday before President Trump’s speech at the monument.
The road was blocked for three hours before the South Dakota National Guard entered the scene and faced off with protesters, firing close-range shells at their feet and spraying some with pepper spray, according to reports.
Protesters held signs reading “Protect SoDak’s First People,” “You Are On Stolen Land,” and “Dismantle White Supremacy,” according to the Associated Press.
In one video of the incident, a woman can be heard yelling towards the protesters, “Go back to where you came from!” — apparently not aware that Native Americans are indigenous to the U.S.
— Erin Woodiel (@EEWoodiel) July 3, 2020
The Black Hills, where Mount Rushmore is located, is sacred and contested land for local Native Americans.
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