A small but passionate group of activists gathered in front of Daniel Boone City Building on Monday afternoon to advocate for the release of Leonard Peltier.
Peltier is a Native American man convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975, but has since argued his innocence.
The vigil was one of over 20 demonstrations worldwide on the 48th anniversary of Peltier’s arrest. For about an hour, participants shared speeches, poetry readings and musical performances.
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Peltier’s case to have irregularities in 2022, which included an exclusion of evidence and coercion of witnesses. They called for an immediate release of Peltier, which has since gone unheeded.
“It’s a tragedy when anyone is killed,” Jeff Stack, a member of a local pacifist organization, said at the vigil. “But it’s a greater tragedy, a compounded tragedy, to go ahead and convict someone who is innocent of these crimes.”
The event’s organizer, Carolyn Mathews, has been advocating for Peltier for decades.
Mathews spoke about Peltier as a dedicated activist for his community.
“He was a practical kind of guy and he wanted to help,” Mathews said. “He wanted to protect elders and children on the (reservation).”
December Harmon, a Columbia resident and 2024 U.S. Senate candidate, held a sign reading the phone number for President Joe Biden’s office and encouraged passersby to call in support of Peltier. Peltier has requested executive clemency from President Biden, who has not yet acted on the case.
“I want social justice in America,” Harmon said. “I think what the FBI did was wrong, in this instance and I’m not afraid to say that.”
Tyree Byndom, recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Columbia Values Diversity award, also spoke at the vigil.
“As minorities we have a unique bond that transcends our individual cultures and sub-cultures,” Byndom said to the crowd. “We share a commonality in the injustices we have suffered, and we have a greater potential to band together for progress and to bring an end to racial injustice.”
Byndom is of both Black and Native American heritage. Like Stack, Byndom believes the best way to try to seek justice for Peltier is by raising awareness of his story.
“It is up to us to make sure that Leonard’s voice is heard.”