A blockade aimed at stemming the flow of liquor into the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota ended on Wednesday just as soon as it went up.
Native and non-Native activists planned to confiscate beer from people who were leaving Whiteclay, Nebraska. Four stores in the town sell an estimated 12,000 cans of beer a day, mostly to people from the reservation.
But the Oglala Sioux Tribe's acting police chief raised legal concerns about the blockade. Despite the intentions of the activists, he said it would be illegal to force anyone to stop and submit to a search, or to take liquor from people.
After some discussion, the activists gave up the blockade after the acting police chief promised to do more to address alcohol issues on the dry reservation.
Get the Story:Beer blockade goes bust (The Rapid City Journal 6/29) Whiteclay Series:
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