Filed under: Action, Canada, Indigenous, Land
Early in the morning of February 6th, the RCMP raided the Wet’suwet’en territory, making several violent arrests and opening the region to State authorities and Coastal GasLink, who has plans to build a massive LNG pipeline. The raid showcases that despite all of the neoliberal pretenses of Trudeau and the Canadian State, it is still fundamentally a neo-colonial project that is built and maintained on the theft of indigenous land and resources.
In response to the raid, the Wet’suet’en hereditary chiefs put out a call for solidarity actions across so-called Canada and the world. Responding to the call on February 6th was a variety of indigenous Nations and anti-colonial accomplices. Check out our roundup below as well as this listing of solidarity actions planned in the coming days.
Resistance Roundup Across So-Called Canada
British Columbia: Gitxsan First Nation blocked Highway 16 for two hours in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en.
Highway 16 blocked in #newhazelton by our allies, the #gitxsan, today for 2 hours in solidarity with #Wetsuweten
— Dinize Ste ohn tsiy (Rob) (@showmekittys) February 7, 2020
Terrace, BC: Rally in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en outside of RCMP building.
Vancouver, BC: Protesters rallied and blockaded the entrance to the Port of Vancouver.
From one report:
Protesters blocked an intersection in East Vancouver near the entrance to the city’s port Thursday afternoon, calling their actions a “blockade” of the port in response to arrests along the planned route of the Coastal GasLink pipeline near Houston, B.C., Thursday morning.
Approximately 100 people gathered on East Hastings Street in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and marched to the intersection of Hastings and Clark Drive, where one of the port’s main entrances is located.
Protester Natalie Knight said groups were also blocking the port’s entrances near the Pacific National Exhibition and near the intersection of Powell Street and Heatley Avenue.
At the time of this writing, the blockade is still ongoing and more reinforcements have arrived.
Reinforcements arrive at the Vancouver Port blockade in solidarity with the #Wetsuweten #alleyesonwetsuweten #WetsuwetenStrong pic.twitter.com/EU3G2IAUH0
— Andrea Glickman (@AndreaGlickman) February 7, 2020
Traffic is backing up near new Brighton Park where demonstrators showing their solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land protectors are blocking entrance to the port. @BCITJournalism pic.twitter.com/dEPIaLIVqQ
— Mat Pereira (@_matpereira_) February 7, 2020
Just in: Supporters of #Unistoten have taken over East Hastings street in Vancouver at intersection with Clark Drive, blocking a key entrance to the Port of Vancouver. #vanpoli #Wetsuweten #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/WRzTp1H1GI
— Ricochet (@ricochet_en) February 6, 2020
Victoria, BC: A large group of students walked out of class in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en and marched to join a larger group of indigenous youth who had locked down at the British Columbia legislature. Meanwhile, a much larger crowd rallied in support outside the building.
BREAKING: Indigenous youth have locked down the so-called British Columbia Legislature in solidarity with #Wetsuweten. Please amplify!#WetsuwetenStrong https://t.co/PX4ZuUYD8A
— Rising Tide NA (@RisingTideNA) February 6, 2020
LEGACY OF COLONIALISM ~ Thousands rally at BC Legislature to express their anger & SOLIDARITY with the WET'SUWET'EN who are protecting their unceded land & title against foreign own corporations who can pollute at will & continue their colonial ways with the violence of RCMP. pic.twitter.com/XiON9H181I
— allan crawshaw (@allan_crawshaw) February 7, 2020
Hundreds of students walk out of classes in the pouring rain at the University of Victoria to show their SOLIDARITY with the WET'SUWET'EN ~ they then joined with thousands of other supporters down at the British Columbia Legislature. More rallies are being planned tomorrow#yyj pic.twitter.com/IYS2T9jcXd
— allan crawshaw (@allan_crawshaw) February 7, 2020
Winnipeg, MB: Indigenous youth have been occupying the office of Minister Dan Vandal for several days in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en.
Northern Affairs Minister @stbstvdan says he is "committed" with the group Indigenous Youth for Wet’suwet’en "in person." The group is currently occupying his constituency office in Winnipeg.
More here: https://t.co/xgEVDlYXYh pic.twitter.com/BfazSkicwq— APTN National News (@APTNNews) February 5, 2020
Hamilton, ON: Rally in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en.
From the emergency demo at the #HamOnt federal building in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders under attack by the RCMP! @XRHamont #WetsuwetenStrong #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/sjLKKh1CO9
— Hamilton 350 (@Hamilton_350) February 6, 2020
Six Nations – So-Called Ontario: Members of the Six Nations shut down Highway 403 for an hour in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en.
Hwy 403 blocked by #6Nations in solidarity w #Wetsuweten.#WetsuwetenStrong #NoPipelines #NoJusticeNoPeace pic.twitter.com/k4ePrib4uc
— ? ? Ⓐ ? . (@alexhundert) February 7, 2020
Toronto, ON: Rally in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en in Toronto.
Update: Still here, not going away. Protesters in front of Canada Deputy Prime Minister office on Bloor demand immediate withdrawl of RCMP from #Wetsuweten territory. #Unistoten #wetsuwetenstrong @XRHamont @XR_Toronto@ExtinctionR @Gidimten@TOforFuture @Toronto350 pic.twitter.com/OTO2W394ay
— Martin Reis (@BikeLaneDiary) February 7, 2020
Mohawk Territory – So-Called Kingston, ON: Trains running through Mohawk territory were blockaded along the Belleville-Kingston corridor in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en.
From one report:
Trains along the Belleville-Kingston corridor came to a standstill as a demonstration is being staged on the CN Rail in the late afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020.
Via Rail confirmed that trains stopped moving in both Kingston and Belleville due to the demonstration, and posts on social media state the protest is in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en as the RCMP has moved in on the anti-pipeline camp at Wet’suwet’en territory in B.C. and arrests have been made. The demonstration is taking place on the train tracks at Wyman Road, which is near Shannonville between Kingston and Belleville.
Source: CBC News