Western Shoshone lead prayer at the Nevada Test Site. Photo by Jim Haber
Las Vegas, NV, January 29, 2011 — Marking the 60th year since the first atomic bomb was tested on land belonging to the Western Shoshone National Council, near Indian Springs, Nevada, eight activists stepped onto the land and were immediately arrested by Nye County sheriffs.
The Western Shoshone National Council had issued permits for the activists to enter their land. “You bless the land with each of your footsteps,” said Johnnie Bobb, a leader of the Western Shoshone Nation. Taken into custody immediately after stepping onto the land were: George Homanich, Judy Homanich, Mary Lou Anderson, Renee Espeland, Brian Terrell, Denis DuVall, Jim Haber and Jerry Zawada.
On January 27th, 2011, five of the eight were sentenced to time served after Judge Jansen found them guilty of trespass for an April 2009 entry into Creech Air Force base. Judy Homanich, Renee Espeland, Brian Terrell, Denis DuVall and Jerry Zawada were among the “Creech 14.”
Jim Haber, coordinator of the Nevada Desert Experience, noted that the Nye County Sherriff’s office accepted as valid forms of identification the permits issued to the activists by the Western Shoshone National Council.
For more information, contact: jim@nevadadesertexperience.org