Multiple statues of historical, often colonial, figures were torn down on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, and vandalized with red paint and graffiti, Fox News reports.
A Spokane, Washington, police report says that a statue of President Abraham Lincoln was vandalized with paint, while multiple colonial statues were toppled or defaced in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Some of the graffiti written on the statues include "no more genocide" and "all colonizers are b-------."
A group called the Pan-Indigenous People's Liberation network has claimed responsibility in a statement that also calls for a "national decolonial day of action."
The activity appears to be related to the LANDBACK campaign, which is a movement of indigenous people that aims to win back control of their historical land, and whose mission statement includes "respecting Indigenous rights, preserving languages and traditions, and ensuring food sovereignty, housing, and clean air and water. Above all, it is a rallying cry for dismantling white supremacy and the harms of capitalism."
Their mission statement also notes: "We must continue to decolonize our minds, communities, and sovereign nations. The decolonization of our communities and people is directly related to our ability to prosper.
"Through the revitalization of our Indigenous ceremonies, culture, languages and life ways we will continue to strengthen our identity, and break free from the oppressive systems that disconnect us from achieving the healing growth and connection to spirit that is integral for us as Indigenous people," they wrote.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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