CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : ALCATRAZ : Indians Mark Island Occupation

Americans Indians and their supporters gathered Thanksgiving morning on Alcatraz Island to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their occupation of “The Rock” in San Francisco Bay. Hundreds of people were ferried to the island for the sunrise ceremony, which has been held every year since 1975, said Tony Gonzales, director of the International Indian Treaty Council. “The first Thanksgiving happened in 1621,” Gonzales said, “and the Indians sat at the same table with Pilgrims. Then in 1622, the Pilgrims organized raiding parties and slaughtered 600 Indians. Since that time, there hasn’t been peace between Indians and whites,” he said. “Our un-Thanksgiving dinner, bringing Indians and non-Indians together, is trying to change that.”