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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Council responds to alleged attacks

Sunday’s apparent racially motivated attack on a group of American Indians trying to swim in the Spokane River has inspired city leaders to proclaim zero tolerance of hate crimes and to announce enhanced security at this weekend’s powwow in Riverfront Park.

Spokane City Council president Dennis Hession presented a resolution reconfirming the city’s commitment to human rights and equality at a special meeting Thursday.

“Because of the powwow going on this weekend, the timing seemed particularly appropriate,” Hession said.

The resolution states, “recent incidents in our city involving members of our Native American community as victims of an apparent hate inspired incident have brought this issue to the forefront of the hearts and minds of the citizens of Spokane.”

The five present council members approved the resolution. Councilwoman Mary Verner was returning from Washington, D.C., and did not attend.

Spokane Police Chief Roger Bragdon told council members that extra security, both on bikes and undercover, would be patrolling the annual Spokane Falls Northwest Indian Encampment and Powwow. After the meeting, Bragdon said the undercover police are very familiar with area hate-group members. Bragdon added that an appearance by skinheads would be unlikely.

The chief said he’s heard from several people that there’s apprehension about attending the event because of Sunday’s attack. “There are some very nervous people,” Bragdon said. “It impacts the entire community.”

Daniel G. Wilson, 28, and convicted felon Andrew Charles Lovelace, 24, were arrested Sunday on charges of first-degree assault, felony harassment and second-degree malicious mischief. The men are accused of yelling racial slurs at the group of American Indians, hitting a 15-year-old teen, breaking a van window, slashing a car seat with a knife and then trying to run over the teenager with a car as he ran for help.

Bragdon brought to the meeting Roger Moses, a Spokane Indian and member of an advisory group to the police department.

Moses said crimes like this tear open old wounds and he’s glad to see the support for the annual powwow, where residents can see “something we as a people have held onto for centuries.”

To get the resolution passed quickly, Hession scheduled a special meeting, which requires a 24-hour notice. He squeezed the meeting in at the start of a weekly council study session, which guaranteed council members would be present.

“It was just the right thing to do,” Hession said after the resolution passed. “These kinds of crimes are just so offensive, so inconsistent with what I consider to be the pride of Spokane.”

Hession said the attack hit home with the council. He said three of six members claimed some sort of Indian heritage in their family lines.

Verner, Rogers and Joe Shogun have told others about their Indian heritage, Hession said.

Seventeen-year-old Josyln Buccelli, one of the Indians attacked Sunday and niece of the powwow organizer Bonnie Joseph, said Thursday she wasn’t aware of the city’s resolution and support.

“Oh really, cool,” Buccelli said.