Arrests Made at a SW Lincoln Housing Development Site

LINCOLN–(KFOR Feb. 7)–Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins says extra officers are out at a housing development project near 1st and Pioneers out by Wilderness Park, where Native American activists on Monday stopped tree removal work by blocking equipment from being used.

Ewins says there was one arrest Monday and multiple arrests were made Tuesday morning, as activists are on private property across from a Native American sweat lodge. Ewins says everyone otherwise is being cooperative and peaceful and the officers are there to make sure no one gets hurt.

The Nebraska Examiner originally reported on Monday that activists are upset with the new housing development because construction would disrupt sweat lodge ceremonies and the city didn’t consider that, along with flooding impacts. The developer, Manzitto Construction, says they have followed all the city rules for approval of the development and have made concessions to create a buffer between housing and the sweat lodge site.