- Details
- By Levi Rickert
BISMARCK, N.D. — Red Fawn Fallis was greeted by friends at the Bismarck Airport in Bismarck, N.D. on Wednesday evening after serving a four-year sentence at a federal prison in California.
Fallis, a tribal citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was a water protector at Standing Rock during the resistance to stop the Dakota Access pipeline. She was arrested on Oct. 27, 2016 at an incident at Standing Rock. She was one of more than 140 people arrested in a violent clash with law enforcement led by the Morton County Sheriff’s Department on that day.
After her arrest, she was charged with several felonies, including a charge of civil disorder and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and the charge of discharge of a firearm in relation to a felony crime of violence.
Red Dawn Foster holds up a Free Red Fawn t-shirt at Standing Rock with water protectors in Dec. 2016. (Photo by Levi Rickert)
Facing 10 years with the possibility of life imprisonment, Fallis entered into a plea agreement on Jan. 22, 2018 with the federal prosecutor. On July 11, 2018, she was sentenced to 18 months on the civil disorder charge and to a concurrent term of 57 months on the possession charge. She was incarcerated in a federal prison in Dublin, Calif.
“Red Fawn was singled out by law enforcement at Standing Rock — and, sadly, she wound up bearing the brunt of police and state anger over our resistance. Of course, we know the real criminals are the oil companies and those in government and law enforcement who aid and abet their destruction of Mother Earth,” Chase Iron Eyes from the Lakota Law Project said.
During the Standing Rock resistance, more than 700 water protectors were arrested. Among all of those arrested, Fallis faced the most severe charges and was incarcerated for the longest period of time.
Many American Indians considered her a political prisoner.
“I am, and have always been, proud to stand at Red Fawn’s side. Though she’s now back with her community, this cannot be called justice. While she spent years behind bars, DAPL has operated without adequate environmental review,” said Phyliss Young, a former tribal council member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
“Always, the benefit of the doubt goes to white men and their industry, never to Native people who stand to protect the natural world. If we stop fighting, that pattern will never change. We must continue to protect our water, our sacred lands, and our future,” Young added.
After arriving in Bismarck, Fallis was able to spend a few minutes with friends before being transferred to a halfway house.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Schatz, Heinrich, Wyden Slam GOP Tax Bill for Slashing Tribal Energy Program and Clean Energy Credits
Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Pierite Hosts Roundtable with Tribal Leaders and Trump Administration Officials
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
