BILLINGS - The Bureau of Land Management is investigating vandalism at the Four Dances Special Recreation Management Area in Billings after pictures of a swastika, SS insignia, and other white supremacist language carved into the sandstone were shared with the organization.
The BLM tells MTN that law enforcement is looking into the vandalism, but cannot confirm descriptions of the graffiti.
Adria Jawort shared pictures with MTN of the graffiti she found in mid-January up at the recreation area, as well as several screenshots from social media sites of a man affiliated with a neo-Nazi group taking selfies with the graffiti, allegedly taking responsibility.
Jawort details what happened in a Substack post and shared the story with MTN.
Other posts of the graffiti Jawort found link it to the Big Sky Active Club, which has organized white power demonstrations in cities across Montana.
Jawort says she shared the graffiti pictures and posts from the man's social media accounts with the BLM, but says when she followed up with the BLM a month later they told her that the incident did not violate the Archeological Resource Protection Act.
According to the BLM's website, the Four Dances Special Recreation Management Area is 765 acres of public lands and the agency's objective 'is to protect the open space and natural and cultural resources, while providing dispersed public recreation in Billings.' Jawort writes about its cultural significance to the Apsaalooke people and is named for the spiritual and military leader Four Dances.
