Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

John McCormick of the Saint Pete AIM Support Group, author of sign, holds his sign surrounded by AIM Support Group members on Tyrone Blvd in front of JC Penny's during the Crazy Horse Protest.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - On Saturday, May 26, 2001, more than 40 members and supporters of the American Indian Movement of Florida protested for three hours, in front of the Tyrone Square mall's JC Penny's store in Saint Petersburg. The protest was held in opposition to the use of the Teshunka Wetko (Crazy Horse) name to market clothing, by the J.C. Penny Company.

The protest began with the AIM song directly in front of the entrance to the J.C. Penny's, at Tyrone Square Mall.

Tyrone Security advised that protesting on mall property is prohibited and AIM Florida refused to move. Sheridan Murphy advised the guards that they were refusing to recognize the authority of the security guards.

Twenty-minutes later ten Saint Petersburg Police officers arrived and demanded the protest be moved. The protesters

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marched with the AIM song to the street, and slowly marched around the entrance to the JC Penny's on the way out. The protest was conducted under heavy surveillance by a dozen Saint Petersburg Police officers and a half-dozen Tyrone Square mall security officers.

Several protesters cut up and burned their JC Penny's charge cards as media representatives filmed their acts. AIM security rebuffed the only serious heckler of the day, as many people honked in support. Nearly 1,000 flyers were distributed inside and outside the mall.

Representatives from organizations including the National Peoples Democratic Uhuru Movement, Refuge and the Pinellas Green Party also participated in Saturday's protest.