Indians protest state's plan to tax non-native cigarette customers
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The Seneca Nation of Indians held a peaceful gathering on their reservation along Interstate 90 in Irving Wednesday, to continue the fight against collecting taxes on cigarette sales.
Supporters say they want the government to honor Indian treaties.
"Any kind of infringement on taxation and treaty rights and sovereignty rights is clearly against the law and they wouldn't like it if we did that to them," said one protester Heather. "And by insisting that the natives collect the taxes for New York State is a clear infringement on the treaty rights and the sovereignty rights."
In Niagara County, members of the Tuscarora Indian Nation took their protest to the streets. On Saunders Settlement Road, more than two dozen protesters slowed traffic and handed out fliers calling for an end to the states efforts.
"It’s a money issue to them, and we're no, we don't have that much money out here," said protester Kathy Jacobs. "They may think that, but we're trying to make our own life out here on our own land. We don't need people out here doing we don’t need the Governor taxing our land, we never done anything to him he needs to just leave us alone."
Protesters say they plan to continue their demonstrations until a federal court decides in favor of their right to sell cigarettes tax free to non-natives.
The Seneca and Cayuga Indians and the state return to federal court Thursday.