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| Image via Jesse Winter on twitter |
Yet again the commitment of Canada's leaders to reconciliation and respect for Indigenous sovereignty is shown to be purely rhetorical and a sham. The hypocrisy of so-called "progressive" leaders like NDP BC Premier John Horgan and Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is simply stunning.
While both use the old colonial lies about "rule of law", the pipeline and project could never have preceded without their full support and billions of dollars in government incentives.
Here is what we know so far. We will continue to update with any further developments.
Solidarity Call:
In a Facebook post one day after RCMP raided two camps on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory, the spokesperson of the Gidmit’en camp is encouraging people to either join the camps along the Morice West Forest Service Road, or take to the streets of Canada.
“We’re going to get rid of you once and for all,” said Molly Wickham in the post. “Which is what Canada has been trying to do to our people.
“It’s what the colonizers will try to do unless we stand up.” - APTN News
For an evolving list of solidarity actions around the world see the Facebook page: International Solidarity: Time is Now! All out for Wet'suwet'en
The latest developments are being updated after the statement.
As of February 12 this post is no longer being updated as the RCMP attacks in Wet'suwet'en have stopped for now. Any further updates will be in our weekly news roundup or in a new post if the attacks start again.
Statement:
Read and share on Facebook at this link: https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/posts/3475585559182331?__tn__=K-R
Feb 11: B.C. legislature cancels pre-throne speech ceremonies over Wet’suwet’en solidarity protest camp
"The B.C. legislature is dialling back the pomp and circumstance.
Due to concerns over a growing encampment on the steps of the B.C. legislature, the assembly has decided to cancel the lieutenant-governor’s red carpet arrival and the traditional 15-gun salute ahead of the province’s throne speech."
Feb 11: Outpouring of International Solidarity as RCMP Arrest Unist’ot’en Matriarchs
"As of now people in the Healing Center are safe and not being threatened with arrest, and the four brave land defenders from 44 were released today after spending the weekend in jail.
Rail lines continue to be blocked and people have poured into the streets, banks, and Government offices outraged by the RCMP’s arrest of Unist’ot’en Matriarchs and grotesque violation of Wet’suwet’en Law.
Indigenous Youth who have been occupying the ceremonial entrance to the BC Legislature with an encampment since Thursday are calling for people to join them as police action has been threatened in advance of John Horgan’s speech from the throne happening tomorrow!"
Feb 11: RCMP Says It’s Done Raiding Wet’suwet’en Land—For Now
"Five days and 28 arrests later, the RCMP has decided to end “major enforcement operations” on Indigenous land defender camps in northern British Columbia.
Since Thursday of last week the federal police force has carried out a militarized campaign to remove Wet’suwet’en people and supporters from their territory to make way for construction of a $6.6 billion pipeline."
Feb 10:
Four images that say it all about the lie of reconciliation being peddled by Canadian politicians like John Horgan and Justin Trudeau while they do the bidding of energy corporations.
Today -- another in a long line of dark days in Canadian colonial history -- the RCMP arrested Indigenous matriarchs during a ceremony they were holding on their own Wet'suwet'en lands in honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
The cops and the company men then tore down a fence with the word "Reconciliation" across it and proceeded to rip down dresses symbolizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls even though these were on Indigenous lands and were blocking nothing.
Not in 1990 or 1980 or 1960. Today, now in 2020.
More attacks Feb. 10:
Solidarity arrests Feb. 10: Police arrest 34 anti-pipeline protesters at Vancouver port as they enforce court injunction
"Police arrested 34 demonstrators at the Port of Vancouver at Hastings and Clark streets early Monday as they enforced an injunction against protesters blocking access to the site.
The protest was organized in support of the Wet'suwet'en hereditary leaders' opposition to the development of a gas pipeline through their traditional territory in Northern B.C. Over the weekend, the RCMP arrested 21 people blocking the Coastal GasLink workers from accessing the site."
Feb 9: B.C. failed to consider links between ‘man camps,’ violence against Indigenous women, Wet’suwet’en argue
"A formal request for judicial review submitted with the B.C. Supreme Court argues B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office extended permit for Coastal GasLink pipeline without considering the findings of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women."
Arrest Update Feb. 9:
Update 12:45 EST Feb 9:
Update 6:45 EST Feb 8:
Update 5:00 pm EST Feb. 8:
Update 2:00 pm EST Feb. 8:
Update: Solidarity action in Toronto, Feb 8:
Update 10:00 p.m Feb. 7:
Update 6:44 EST Feb 7:
Update 5:29 pm EST:
Update 4:57 EST Feb. 7:
Update 3:45 EST Feb.7:
Updates from February 7 as the RCMP has attacked the Gidimt’en camp (Scroll down for events on Feb. 6) :
February 6:
Video of the attack from Cody Wedlidi Merriman. At the end of his narration he notes:
"This now means Horgan has two raids on his resume. He talks about reconciliation yet he removes Indigenous people from his lands. That is not reconciliation, that word cannot come out of his mouth unless he talks about how poorly he is at reconciliation.
This is the provincial government, how they deal with Indigenous people. They don't talk with them, they remove them from their lands, they throw them in prison and in jail.This is how they build industry. "
As RCMP begin arrests, Gidimt'en spokesperson Molly Wickham issues declaration on Wet'suwet'en rights (read the full statement here: https://www.straight.com/news/1356821/rcmp-begin-arrests-gidimten-spokesperson-molly-wickham-issues-declaration-wetsuweten):
This morning as the RCMP began arresting people to once again enforce the injunction—obtained by Coastal GasLink—Wickham delivered a stirring commentary on Facebook urging allies to come to the Morice River Forest Service Road on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory to witness what was taking place.
"It's time to rise up.It's time to stand up for all Indigenous people all across Turtle Island. It's time to make it known that Indigeous people will not be oppressed any longer—that the RCMP can't come in and remove us from our territories, that they have no legitimacy on stolen Indigenous land.
"And we have a right and a responsibility to be protecting our territory, to be protecting our water, to be protecting our future generations," she continued. "The state—so-called Canada, so-called B.C.—they have no jurisdiction on Wet'suwet'en land. The RCMP has no jurisdiction on Wet'suwet'en land.
"They're invading our people again, starting in the wee hours of the morning, arresting people who have been providing food and medical supplies to our camps, who are camped out along the side of the road doing amazing and righteous work. And right now, they're being arrested and they're being removed."
Update 10:50 EST:
Update 8:30 EST:
Update: International solidarity events planned.
Numerous rallies and events are being planned across Canada and around the world. For a full list and updates see: International Solidarity: Time is Now! All out for Wet'suwet'en on Facebook.
Update 2:30 EST:
Statement by Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs:
“Using armed force to take Indigenous peoples off their unceded and traditional territories against their will is not reconciliation, it is colonialism in all of its ugliness and hypocrisy. We are humbled and inspired by the resolute and unwavering commitment of the Wet’suwet’en people to defend their territories from a resource extraction project that will have dire impacts on their lands and waters and accelerate climate change. I repeat the wise words of Na’Moks, Hereditary Chief of the Wet’suwet’en, who stated ‘we remain peaceful and respectful because we are on the right side of history.’”
Read the full statement.
Update 1:55 EST:
BC Civil Liberties Association statement:
From earlier today:
From earlier today:
Media oversight is not in the interest of the cops when they start their attacks and violence:
Pre-dawn raid, guns out, arrests, windows smashed...hardly seems like the "least violence possible" as the RCMP serve their role as the armed and violent wing of the colonial. corporate state:
RCMP is attacking where the injunction does not even apply:
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