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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003

Members of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island should have let state police troopers do their job in raiding a tribal smokeshop, The Providence Journal says in an editorial.

The paper acknowledges Gov. Donald Carcieri was "heavy-handed" for seeking to shut down the facility without first obtaining a court order. But it says tribal members, including chief sachem Matthew Thomas, presented what appeared to be "organized resistance" to the state police.

"In our view, state troopers were simply doing the job they were ordered to do, and showed remarkable restraint under the circumstances," the paper says. "It is a shame that the tribe did not back off Monday and let a court sort out this controversy. It can only help the tribe's cause that it appears to be doing so now."

Get the Story:
Editorial: The smoke-shop raid (The Providence Journal 7/16)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianz

Media of the Raid:
Video | Pictures

Relevant Laws:
Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act (US Code)

Relevant Links:
Narragansett Tribe - http://www.narragansett-tribe.org
Rhode Island Governor - http://www.governor.state.ri.us
Rhode Island Attorney General - http://www.riag.state.ri.us

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Column: Tribal smokeshop raid something out of 1963 (7/15)
Narragansett chief arrested in 'violent' raid (7/14)
R.I. governor promises to help Narragansett Tribe (06/04)
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R.I. tribe delays opening of tobacco shop (5/23)