Journalist gives history lesson on Wisconsin fishing dispute

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Governor Carlson goes on the air tonite at six for a three minute plea for calm. Many fear there will be violence when Indians begin exercising their treaty fishing rights on Lake Mille Lacs, perhaps the most popular walleye lake in the state. Minnesota residents and officials have a model for the worst case scenario in this state's treaty fishing rights controversy. It comes from the years of trouble in Wisconsin starting in earnest in the mid-80s. Angry protesters crowded boat landings on lakeshores in many parts of northern Wisconsin. They taunted and threatened Chippewa spearfishers, overturning their boats and breaking their spears. Eventually, a judge issued injunctions against protestors, and some of the loudest were hit with huge financial settlements for violating the Indians' civil rights. There were demonstrations when in 1983 a panel of appellate judges ruled in favor of tribal fishing in Wisconsin, but there was no significant violence until the last night of the first spear fishing season in 1985. John Sherer was a radio reporter for WWMH in Minocq.

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