Members of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, whose ancestral lands are in the Bay Area, including Stanford’s campus, said they were met by what they described as “violent and physical” police in Washington, D.C. , on the occasion of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The tribe organized a horseback journey called the Trail of Truth from San Francisco to the United States Capitol.

The trip was intended to draw attention to the Muwekma Ohlone’s status as a federally unrecognized tribe, which erases its sovereignty and right to self-government, said Charlene Nijmeh, the tribe’s chairwoman. The two-month trip began Aug. 4 at Crissy Field in San Francisco, just east of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Trail of Truth passed through the ancestral lands of various indigenous groups. Nijmeh estimates that 30 tribes participated in the cross-country journey.

Nijmeh said protesters planned to speak to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland about the need to recognize tribes such as the Muwekma Ohlone. The protesters were initially escorted by U.S. Capitol Police the day they arrived, but the violent interaction occurred the next day, Nijmeh said.

In an email to the Daily, Melissa Schwartz, a senior adviser to Secretary Haaland, denied that the meeting between Haaland’s office and the riders was ever scheduled. Haaland and his team then informed Muwekma Ohlone that they I would not meet with them in an email to the tribe following their protests.

National Park Service (NPS) police say horses are not allowed on the National Mall. According to DC city codes, every offender will be fined “a sum of at least $1 and not more than $5. » Nijmeh said she agreed to comply and pay the fines, but a standoff ensued.

“As soon as my team opened the doors, the cops rushed at us,” Nijmeh said. “They threw my daughter on the sidewalk. They beat elderly people, women and children. They threatened to confiscate our horses and euthanize them.

Nine people, including Nijmeh’s husband, were arrested for resisting arrest and assaulting law enforcement. They were released shortly after, but still face charges and court appearances.

“The group received three dispersal warnings. One arrest was made for assaulting a police officer and eight arrests were made for obstructing agency operations and disobeying a lawful order,” NPS police said. said Fox News Radio.

The Daily has contacted NPS police for comment.

Lauren Rose Reyes ’25 is a residential assistant (RA) at Muwekma-Tah-Ruk, Stanford’s indigenous-themed house, with Mescalero Apache and Navajo roots. Reyes, who spent Indigenous Peoples Day at Indigenous Sunrise Ceremony at Alcatrazsaid she was upset to hear the federal response to the tribe’s protests.

Reyes said the police were “allegedly from Deb Haaland’s troops.” She said she found it “truly heartbreaking” that an “Indigenous woman in a position of high power in the United States would contribute to this in such a negative way.” We are supposed to fight the same fight and support each other, especially with something as important as federal recognition.

Schwartz denied that Haaland’s office was involved in sending police to protesters.

Muwekma Ohlone posted photos of the police response on its Instagram. Armando Quezada ’28, who is Mescalero Apache and Nahua, shared the posts.

“I am disgusted by the brutality of the Muwekma people by the National Park Police,” Quezada said. “I saw videos of people being dragged from the trailer while protecting Lakota horses, which police threatened to seize and kill, as well as a woman, Kai, being violently detained. I don’t understand why a peaceful movement hoping to be recognized would be met with such excessive violence, but I can’t say I’m surprised.

Both Quezada and Reyes expressed the need to publicize the Path of Truth, as there has been little national media coverage on it. Reyes said Stanford’s land recognition is a good step forward, but many outside the indigenous community are unaware of the continued injustices committed against indigenous people. They said politicians have refused to recognize tribes who want to establish casinos on their land as a source of revenue.

Nijmeh said corruption among politicians, donors and interest groups was to blame. She said that in California, the most powerful tribes take their millions of dollars in casino money and pay politicians like Deb Haaland to eliminate marginalized tribes.

Like Reyes, Nijmeh said Deb Haaland “failed us at the highest level.”

“Our own people have turned against us. We call them Uncle Tomahawks. They sold their soul, their spirit to the colonizers… Casinos are our right to nation building if we choose to use this economic development tool,” Nijmeh said. “You are taking away rights from our future generation. You won’t take anything away from us. You stole our land, you took our language and our culture. No more. This is not a casino. It’s about our rights.

Even before arriving in Washington, the travelers were disappointed. At an early stop for runners in Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond to Muwekma Ohlone’s protest. Nijmeh said California politicians’ promises to protect sovereignty and self-determination are just empty words.

She also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for ignoring the needs of Muwekma Ohlone. Nijmeh said Harris ignored the Muwekma Ohlone people.

“When she was a U.S. senator, the previous president contacted her and you know what she told us? This Indian country is none of her business,” she said.

The Daily has reached out to the Harris campaign and Governor Newsom’s office for comment.

Despite the violent arrests and setbacks, travelers plan to continue protesting in Washington, even after Election Day.

“We will be here to express our thoughts and speak our truths,” Nijmeh said. “We will stay here to be seen and heard. That’s what this trip is about: to bring Indian Country together and unite to stop the government asking us to have limited rights. We want to be treated equally. We refuse to be second-class citizens.

According to NPR, hundreds of tribes across the United States don’t have have been recognized by the federal government, making it more difficult for them to repatriate their buried ancestors, access federal aid, and pursue economic development.

“Whether they come from different parts of the country, our stories are the same,” Nijmeh said. She said these tribes are a stronger force together, and unification makes it harder for the government to take away their rights.

“It was their colonial system from the beginning,” Nijmeh said. “They divided us and conquered us…Now is the time to stand up and unite.”