>> ERIC: A LITTLE OVER A MONTH ACTIVISTS SET UP A PRAYER CAMP JUST ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM THE FEDERAL WHIPPLE BUILDING AT FORT SNELLING.

THE CAMP SITS ON A SACRED SITE FOR DAKOTA PEOPLE, BOTH IN PROTEST OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ACTIONS AND CALLING FOR RETURNING THE LAND AND OTHER SACRED SITES BACK TO DAKOTA PEOPLES.

HOWEVER, THE CAMP HAS RECEIVED PUSHBACK FROM TRIBAL LEADERS ACROSS THE MIDWEST, INCLUDING FROM THE FOUR DAKOTA TRIBES HERE IN MINNESOTA.

HERE WITH INSIGHT ON THE SITUATION IS MPR REPORTER MELISSA OLSON.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Eric: WHY IS THIS SO CONTROVERSIAL?

>> OH, MANY REASONST, COMPLICATED STORY, BUT AT THE HEART OF IT IS, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THIS SITE, WHICH DICAMILLO DICAMILIDEACOAT DICAMILIDEACODAKOTAPEOPLE CALL S A PLACE THEY WANT TO PROTECT.

SO THE FOUR DAKOTA NATIONS IN MINNESOTA HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMANAGE THE SITE WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

NOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE PARK, AND THAT MNI OASNI IS A GROUP OF YOUNGER ACTIVISTS WHO KIND OF INHERITED THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS CAMP, AND THEY ARE REALLY THERE ASKING IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS LAND.

AND CHALLENGING IN SOME WAYS WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE ACCESS.

TO THE LAND.

AS PEOPLE WHO ARE A PART OF THIS LARGER DAKOTA COMMUNITY.

>> Cathy: HUH.

SO WHAT'S WITH THE PUSHBACK FROM THE TRIBAL LEADERS?

IS IT A GENERATIONAL THING?

>> IN SOME WAYS, BUT IT REALLY HINGES ON, I MEAN, I THINK IN MANY WAYS, IT'S ABOUT CULTURAL PROTOCOL.

SO WHAT YOU'LL HEAR TRIBAL LEADERS SAY IS THAT THE ACTIVISTS AND NOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE INHERITED THE CAMP DIDN'T NECESSARILY ASK PERMISSION TO SET UP THERE.

THEY WORKED WITH THE TRIBAL NATIONS THROUGH AN ADVISORY GROUP HAVE, YOU KNOW, SET UP A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE COULD GO THERE, COULD PRAY, BUT IT WOULD BE PERMITTED.

SO THE CAMP REALLY GOT STARTED SORT OF IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN MINNEAPOLIS DURING OPERATION METRO SURGE.

>> Eric: SO THE TIMING WASN'T COINCIDENTAL?

>> O, IT WAS NOT COINCIDENTAL.

>> Eric: AND THE OCATION RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE WHIPPLE BUILDING?

>> CORRECT.

THE CAMP'S FOUNDERS, AND THESE ARE OLDER ACTIVISTS, SAID, AND ONE IN PARTICULAR TOLD ME AT THE TIME THAT THEY SET UP THE CAMP IN SOLIDARITY WITH IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHO WERE FACING OR WHO WERE TARGETED FOR DEPORTATION BY D.H.S.

AND I.C.E.

BUT THEY -- AND THE REASON THEY FELT THAT SOLIDARITY IS BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES HAD MET, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 160 YEARS AGO, IN AND AROUND FORT SNELLING -- >> Eric: WHICH IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE WHOLE EPISODE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE SITE ITSELF BECOMES SO MUCH A PART OF THE STORY.

>> Cathy: AND THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS -- THIS WHOLE AREA F COURSE HAS BEEN FOR DECADES, YOU KNOW, UNDER A MICROSCOPE WITH THE IMPORTANCE TO THE NATIVE FOLKS, BUT ALSO JUST -- THERE'S DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA.

SO THERE'S THAT.

BUT I'M WONDERING, THE CAMP HAS HAD ITS ISSUES, RIGHT?

I MEAN, HASN'T THERE BEEN SOME E IN A SENSE, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> YEAH, IT DOES, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE CONTROVERSY STEMS FROM.

SO THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE INHERITED THE CAMP ARE SAYING THEY ARE DOING THEIR BEST.

FOR EXAMPLE, NOT TO ALLOW DRUGS AND ALCOHOL INTO THE CAMP.

BUT IT'S ALSO A PLACE -- IT'S A PLACE WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE COME, LET'S SAY, TO ISIT FOR A DAY OR TWO.

AND THE CAMP'S ORGANIZERS CAN'T -- THEY SAY, CAN'T NECESSARILY CONTROL EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE CAMP.

SO THEY WILL SAY, YES, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTANCES IN WHICH PEOPLE WERE DOING THINGS THAT WERE PROHIBITED, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THAT THEY WERE THERE AND THAT THEY ARE THERE TO PRAY AND TO EXERCISE THEIR ABILITY TO BE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND ACCESS THIS SITE, AND SO ON, SO FORTH.

AND THAT IS WHERE THEY'RE REALLY FACED OFF AT THIS POINT.

>> Cathy: WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THIS SITE?

DO WE KNOW?

>> WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THIS CAMP IS IN THE PROCESS FROM ALL THAT I UNDERSTAND OF COMING DOWN.

SO IT MAY COME DOWN IN THE NEXT SHORT HILE.

THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

YOU KNOW, THE DAKOTA COMMUNITIES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK SERVICE, I THINK THAT WILL BE ONGOING.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A QUESTION THERE.

THE PARK SERVICE REALLY HASN'T SAID ANYTHING IN RESPONSE TO MY QUESTIONS OR REALLY TO ANYONE AT ALL.

SO IT'S HARD TO SAY IF THEY'LL GET INVOLVED.

BUT I THINK THE CAMP WILL COME DOWN.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE ARE SAYING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THERE PERMANENTLY.

YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE PARK IN THE WAYS THAT THEY HAVE, WHICH IS REALLY ABOUT MANAGING THE SITE ITSELF, PROTECTING THE WATER, ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT, THAT KIND OF THING.

>> Eric: THERE'S A WONDERFUL STORY THAT YOU DID ON MPR.ORG ABOUT THE VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THIS SITUATION THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS.

>> MELISSA OLSON FROM OUR NATIVE NEWS TEAM.

>> YES.

>> Eric: THANK YOU VERY MUCH