Native Americans Demonstrate For ‘Savannah’s Act’

Several cities in North Dakota saw demonstrations this week for the passage of the so-called "Savannah's Act," for the protection of Native-American women.

As the Fargo Forum reported this week, demonstrators gathered in Grand Forks, Fargo and Bismarck this week to call for passage of legislation designed to stop violence against Native women.

The image and memory of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind. were prominent during the demonstrations. The young woman died just over two years ago. Ms. Greywind's daughter was cut from her mother's body.

The LaFontaine-Greywind family's attorney, Gloria Allred, said "there is a need for changes" in the wake of "the most cruel, callous, criminal act that could ever have been inflicted on this innocent, young pregnant woman."

"When Savanna's family reported to the Fargo police department that Savanna was missing, they felt that they were treated with disrespect by the police and that the information they provided was scoffed at, perhaps because they are Native American," Ms. Allred said. "The information they provided at that time was, in fact, correct and had they been listened to, Savanna and Haisley Jo would likely have been found earlier, which would have avoided needless additional pain and suffering that the family experienced because they were disrespected by the police."

[Source: Fargo Forum]