Border marker reported smashed

HOGANSBURG — The border marker that was removed last week by the Warrior Society has been smashed, according to Akwesasne Women's Fire, a Mohawk blog.

There are pictures on the Web site of the destroyed stone obelisk, one with the obelisk separated from its base and another of a smaller metal marker that was encased inside the stone, surrounded by pieces of the rock.

The marker, which delineated the border between Hogansburg and St. Regis, Quebec, was dug up with a backhoe and taken away from its location on St. Regis Road on a trailer. St. Regis Mohawk tribal police stopped the trailer when it reached Route 37, but allowed it to continue on its route.

"They did not have a complainant," said David T. Staddon, tribal public information officer. "At that point in time, they did not know who owned it."

The police later found out that the obelisk belongs to the U.S. government, according to Mr. Staddon.

In an edited 10-minute video posted on the blog, an unidentified tribal police officer says the obelisk belongs to Canada. On one side of the marker, there was a metal surveying disk that said "U.S." on it, while the base had "Canada" carved in the stone.

The location of the marker's remnants is unknown, though tribal police say they are monitoring the situation, according to a tribal press release.

"Whether they're monitoring where it's at or if they're just being the go-between with the federal government, I don't know what that means," Mr. Staddon said.

Tribal police refused to comment.

The marker was in place since the 19th century, delineating the U.S.-Canada border. It was replaced Friday with a 14-foot-tall post, topped with two purple Mohawk flags.

In the video, an unidentified man says the pieces will be sent to dignitaries, including the pope, President Barack Obama and Gov. David A. Paterson.

U.S. Border Patrol declined to comment on the situation, saying only that it is under investigation and officials are working with the tribal police and other law enforcement agencies, according to Mark R. Henry, an operations officer in Swanton, Vt.

Officials from the U.S. attorney's office in Syracuse office also declined to comment.

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