Group plans to protect OK Land Run monument after threats to vandalize it are posted on social media - OKC, OK
Posted by: 
Max and 99
N 35° 27.672 W 097° 30.292
14S E 635668 N 3925217
A group has vowed to protect the OK Centennial Land Run monument after social media posts reveal plans to vandalize it.
Waymark Code: WM12QQJ
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/03/2020
Views: 2
Social media posts have some concerned about the OK Centennial Land Run Monument, and a group vows to protect it. This is a project that was 12 years in the making, and according to the okcgov website, when it is completed it will be one of the largest free-standing bronze sculptures in the world.
Article text:
A local man says he’s organizing a group to protect the Land Run Monument during an upcoming protest.
“I’m for all peaceful protests, but you don’t have the right to disrupt or vandalize or loot,” Shannon Collins said.
He says he saw some comments on social media from people threatening to vandalize the monument, and he wants to prevent that from happening. He’s encouraging people to bring protection in case they need it.
The organizing group, Society to Protect Indigenous Rights & Indigenous Treaties (SPIRIT), says there is no intention to destroy property.
They have a sit-in planned for July 11 calling for the removal of the Land Run Monument.
Co-founder Brenda Golden says she doesn’t think the group to protect the monument is necessary.
“It’s been whitewashed to the point where we have people who are willing to bring guns to protect a monument that does not take into account all sides of history,” she said.
Phyllis Dragus, a historian on Native American studies, gave her perspective on the Land Run. She says the land was unassigned and that Navajos chose not to come.
“They were the only tribe ever given the choice they were either going to the unassigned lands or they could go back to their native lands in Arizona,” she said.
However, Golden says it’s a different story.
“Treaties were broken in order for the unassigned lands to even be made,” she said. “That wasn’t even agreed to by our people, it was forced on us by Congress.”
Type of publication: Television
When was the article reported?: 07/03/2020
Publication: Oklahoma's News 4
Article Url: [Web Link]
Is Registration Required?: no
How widespread was the article reported?: local
News Category: Arts/Culture
|
Visit Instructions:
Give the date of your visit at the news location along with a description of what you learned or experienced.