On February 16, 1971, one hundred Native students at the University of Washington marched from the university's main campus to the Bureau of Indian Affairs office in Eastlake, in support of the United Indian People's Council (later United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, or UIATF) occupation of Fort Lawton. The protest at the 1,100-acre army post in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood began in March 1970. Members of Seattle’s Indigenous community wanted to reclaim the land for use by Indigenous peoples, while the City of Seattle planned to turn the land into a park. The Native students in this march were specifically upset with Indian Commissioner Louis Bruce for withdrawing a "show of interest" letter with the General Service Administration that had the potential to block the city's plan for a park at Fort Lawton.
Signs in image: B.I.A. Does Not Support Indian Rights! Puyallup Fishing Rights - Where Was B.I.A.? Indians Need Jackson Like We Needed: Small Pox Blankets, Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Custer, Wounded Knee, The Mayor.
Handwritten on sleeve: University of Washington Indians attack B.I.A. Office. Date photograph was filed at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (date of photograph and file date may differ by a month or more): February 16, 1971.
