Arrests Begin as Dozens of RCMP Have Been Deployed onto Wet’suwet’en Territory

Updated report from Gidimt’en Checkpoint about RCMP repression and invasion onto Wet’suwet’en territory. For more updates, go here.

photo: @M_Tol

UPDATE: From CBC:

The RCMP moved in Thursday morning to clear a forest service road in northern British Columbia that was barricaded by a crushed van and felled trees as Wet’suwet’en and Haudenosaunee members prepared for a “final stand” to block construction of a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline.

Jennifer Wickham, a media co-ordinator for the Gidmet’en checkpoint on the Morice River Forest Service Road, told CBC News in a phone interview that police arrested at least eight people, including two Wet’suwet’en elders and a legal observer. Wickham said the RCMP are using at least one canine team.  “They are arresting everybody now,” she said.

A charter plane full of RCMP have landed at the Smithers airport, with between 30 and 50 officers equipped with camo duffel bags.

Spirits are high on the Wet'suwet'en front line after 54 days of blockading, as water protectors prepare for the 3rd wave of militarized RCMP raids.

In a speech, Sleydo' said "What's going to happen is that we will protect our river. People will be inspired all over the world." pic.twitter.com/9xSY0pWimZ

— Michael Toledano (@M_Tol) November 18, 2021

Police loaded onto two buses and unmarked, rental pick-up trucks and headed out towards the yintah. An RCMP helicopter is reported to be heading to the area. Throughout today, helicopters have circled over our camps, conducting low, deliberate flights for surveillance.

The road into our yintah remains blocked by RCMP at 28km, with hereditary chiefs, food, and medical supplies being turned away.

Arrests reported as RCMP move to clear Wet'suwet'en pipeline resistance in B.C. for 3rd timehttps://t.co/S6islw0WLX

— Jorge Barrera (@JorgeBarrera) November 18, 2021

In the middle of a climate emergency, as highways and roads are being washed away, and entire communities are being flooded and evacuated, the Province has chosen to send busloads of police to criminalize Wet’suwet’en water protectors and to work as a mercenary force for oil and gas.

It's day 55 of the @Gidimten Coyote Camp blockade.

Sleydo' and Shay Sampson from the Gitxsan nation sing Nutsini, the Wet’suwet’en war song, as an RCMP helicopter circles above and bus loads of police push closer on the main road. pic.twitter.com/Xs3fRueeaQ

— Michael Toledano (@M_Tol) November 18, 2021

We will not back down. We need all eyes on Wet’suwet’en Yintah. We need boots on the ground. We need solidarity actions throughout Canada.

#ShutDownCanada

#AllOutForWedzinKwa