Two Native American tribes, the Hopi and Acoma, are trying to block an auction taking place in Paris this week of artefacts they consider sacred, despite failing in several similar efforts over past years. Allied with the US-based Holocaust Art Restitution Project (HARP), the Hopi Tribe Council and Pueblo of Acoma said in a joint statement they were asking France’s Board of Auction Sales to suspend the event, taking place on Wednesday. ‘These objects cannot be sold or disposed of for legal, cultural and moral reasons, period. We will file all relevant actions to preserve the Acoma and the Hopi rights before French jurisdictions,’ HARP chairman Ori Soltes said. ‘These auctions must cease,’ Hopi Tribe chairman Herman Honanie said, demanding that all the objects ‘be returned’. The Paris sale, handled by the Drouot auction

Read More: Native Americans again try to block auction to held by the Drouot auction house