The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal brought by Indian activists who were arrested for burning Chief Wahoo, the mascot of the Cleveland Indians, in effigy.

The move is prompting Vernon Bellecourt, president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and a co-founder of the American Indian Movement, to restart Chief Wahoo protests. "It was only when we burned the first effigy that we got the attention of the team, the franchise owners and the media," he told The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Bellecourt and four others were arrested by the city of Cleveland. They filed suit, saying their First Amendment rights were violated. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled against them, a decision that now stands.

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Wahoo protesters to burn logo in effigy (The Cleveland Plain-Dealer 5/19)

Relevant Links:
National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media - http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm