Coronavirus

Sioux Checkpoints Aim To Block Bikers From Crossing Tribal Lands

The annual event usually draws half a million people from around the United States, but organizers expected a smaller turnout this year.

Sioux Checkpoints Aim To Block Bikers From Crossing Tribal Lands
Stephen Groves / AP
Article by Nathan Byrne
SMS
August 10, 2020

South Dakota Sioux tribes are setting up unofficial checkpoints to block bikers from getting to the Sturgis motorcycle rally.

Their plan: use sovereign land rights to turn away bikers attempting to cross through those areas. It's all in hopes of preventing a COVID outbreak in the state.

The annual event usually draws half a million people from around the United States, but organizers expected a smaller turnout this year amid the pandemic. What's "a smaller turnout?" Still around 250,000 people converging on a town whose population is just 7,000.

Both South Dakota and federal authorities have said the checkpoints are illegal.