“This Is Not Over”: Major Disruptions Continue in Support of Unist’ot’en Camp

On January 9th, major actions in solidarity with the Wetsuwet’en people continued across so-called Canada as major highways, ports, and roadways were blocked by protesters.

In an update, the Unisto’ot’en Camp wrote:

The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs have by absolutely no means agreed to let the Coastal GasLink pipeline tear through our traditional territories.

On January 7th at the Gidumt’en access point, the RCMP used excessive and brutal force. We expected a large response, we did not expect a military level invasion where our unarmed women and elders were faced with automatic weapons and bulldozers.

While the chiefs have a responsibility to protect the land, they also have a duty to protect our land defenders. Our people faced an incredible risk of injury or death and that is not a risk we are willing to take for an interim injunction. The agreement we made allows Coastal GasLink to temporarily work behind the Unist’ot’en gate. This will continue to be a waste of their time and resources as they will not be building a pipeline in our traditional territory.

This injunction was against Warner Naziel, Freda Huson, and Jane and John Doe as individuals. Our efforts over the past month made the RCMP, Coastal GasLink, and the colonial governments recognize that this is not an issue of individual “protestors” but rather an issue of our house chiefs’ jurisdiction to make decisions on our own lands. We have fought for many years to make this point by politely telling it like it is. Now, with the world watching, with our voices reverberating around the globe, we have turned the tables.

There can be no question now that this is an issue of Wet’suwet’en Rights and Title. We have demonstrated that this fight is about more than a pipeline; it is about the right of Indigenous peoples around the world to exercise Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.

We have the power to tell the governments of the world that enough is enough, rather than being plowed down by force today or tomorrow. We will use our voice to continue this battle by asserting our Rights and Title.

This week, the Canadian state laid siege to our land behind the smokescreen of “reconciliation.” We see through their attempts to further colonial violence and remove us from our territories. We remain undeterred, unafraid, and unceded.

This fight is far from over.

In so-called Vancouver in British Columbia, the Port was blockaded:

Reports that the Port of Vancouver, the largest shipping hub in Canada, is currently being blocked! #ShutDownCanada pic.twitter.com/FoDwI4D8Jr

— submedia (@submedia) January 9, 2019

The port of Vancouver has been closed in support of the unistoten, in rejection of the illegal military action of the state against land defenders there. Non port traffic is being divirted. Say no to this crime! Join us at hastings and Clark!#unistoten #WetsuwetenStrong pic.twitter.com/CaOBngt0To

— ｋｅｖｏｒｋｉａｎ_ｒｏｃｋｗｅｌｌ (@deadnessdarling) January 9, 2019

In Toronto, a major interchange was blockaded:

In Montreal, graffiti was written in solidarity and the Jacques Cartier Bridge was blockaded:

Here are pics of some of the graffiti going up in Montreal in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en Land Defenders, and against #TransCanada and their destructive pipelines (including #CoastalGasLink in BC & Gazoduq in Quebec). #wetsuwetenstrong #notrespass #thetimeisnow #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/cwx2IyGtI7

— No Borders Media (@NoBordersMedia) January 9, 2019

And in so-called Hamilton, Ontario the Downtown was shutdown:

Be sure to follow It’s Going Down on Twitter for constant updates.