The Sun Dance continued in 1994 and James discovered that Rosette and his partner Mary Pena had taken up permanent residence at the site sometime late in 1994.

On January 3, 1995, Clark submitted a petition to the Queen Elizabeth II signed by representatives of Indigenous religious communities from across Canada, including Rosette and Alberta medicine man John Stevens.

[7] In June 1995, people from the Secwepemc (Shuswap), other Indigenous, and non-Indigenous supporters joined Rosette and Pena at Gustafsen Lake in preparation for the Sun Dance to take place in July.

The situation intensified when James presented the camp with an eviction notice after they erected a fence to keep defecating cattle from the ceremonial area.

Initial press releases from the protestors in June and July called Sun Dancers to the site, claimed their right to practise their religion was being violated, and re-asserted the belief that the grounds were part of a larger tract of unceded Indigenous land.

[10] On September 11, RCMP detonated an explosive device buried in an access road to the camp, heavily damaging a supply truck being driven by protestors.

[12] Fourteen Indigenous and four non-Indigenous people were charged following the siege, fifteen of whom were found guilty and sentenced to jail terms ranging from six months to eight years.

[13] According to Magistrate Judge Janice M. Stewart of the U.S District Court in Oregon, "The Gustafsen Lake incident involved an organized group of Indigenous people rising up in their homeland against an occupation by the government of Canada of their sacred and unceded tribal land."

She also asserted that "the Canadian government engaged in a smear and disinformation campaign to prevent the media from learning and publicizing the true extent and political nature of these events".