The owner of a controversial bar near sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota is taking credit for this year's Native protest.

Jay Allen said he created a "bond" for Native and non-Natives protesters who have been fighting encroachment on the sacred site. "I'm kind of proud that I'm creating this cohesion amongst those people, and I'm kind of complimented for it," he told The Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Allen accuses the protesters of being hypocritical for opposing a beer license for his bar. "We all know that they're involved big time in tobacco sales, they're involved big time in alcohol, and they're involved big time in gaming," he said, apparently referring to tribes.

Thousands of bikers began arriving in Sturgis over the weekend for the annual motorcycle rally. Among the attendees are Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Joshua Bolten, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Get the Story:
Bear Butte protesters dig in against business (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 8/6)

Relevant Links:
Bear Butte International Alliance - http://matopaha.org/wp
Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org

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