Ojibwe Protest of Fishing Rights

(AP) The day before the walleye fishing opener, members of two bands of Ojibwe say they will be fishing illegally. They claim rights under a 19th century treaty, and so will be casting lines into Lake Bemidji.

It was more than a decade ago in which the Mille Lacs Band won a similar claim before the U.S. Supreme Court.

There could be several hundred members of the Leech Lake and White Earth bands lining up along the shores of Lake Bemidji for the demonstration, according to attorney Frank Bibeau. He says they are alerting the public now, to avoid the confrontations that occurred in the 1990’s. Bibeau expects some of the demonstrators will be ticketed, but he says the demonstration will be peaceful.