Coast to Coast and International Actions Condemn the Violence of the Colonial Canadian State
Rally outside BC legislature January 7, 2020, the day after the RCMP
raid began on Wet'suwet'en territory.
As the armed occupation and removal of
Wet'suwet'en Land Defenders from their unceded territory in northern BC
enters its second week, actions in solidarity have increased throughout
the country. Several actions, including the occupation of the steps of
the BC legislature by Indigenous youth and supporters, have been
ongoing since the RCMP raid on February 6.
When the BC legislature opened February 11 with
the reading of the Throne Speech, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC)
and others organized a mass rally to join the youth at the legislature
and held a press conference.
In a press release February 10 the UBCIC states
"The RCMP are carrying out a violent raid on unceded Wet'suwet'en
territory under Provincial and Federal watch to enforce Coastal
GasLink's injunction. Indigenous youth, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs,
and allies, including [environmental non-governmental organizations],
municipal, provincial and federal representatives, will gather in
solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en nation. Speakers will respond to the
unlawful escalation of the RCMP and violations of Wet'suwet'en law and
Indigenous rights taking place under the orders of the injunction. They
will also address the lands and waters at stake, and the
responsibilities and roles of the province."
Among the actions that have taken place across the
country are the following.
British Columbia
Vancouver, February 9, 2020
There have been rallies and demonstrations in
large and small communities on Vancouver Island: outside the RCMP
station in Campbell River on February 9, on the Inland Island Highway
south of Courtenay on February 10, in Tofino, Courtenay and Nanaimo, as
well as in Prince George and other cities and towns throughout the
province.
On February 9, some 2,000 people rallied
at Vancouver City Hall. "End Colonial Injustice! RCMP Out of
Wet'suwet'en Territory," an article reprinted from the February 1, 2020
issue of TML Weekly, was widely distributed and
well-received there. Following the rally, hundreds of people took to
the streets to shut down the busy intersection of Broadway and Cambie.
Blockades were set up February 8 at the Port of
Vancouver and Deltaport, which continued until the morning of February
10 when barricades were removed by police and 55 people were arrested.
In Vancouver non-Indigenous volunteers had remained in the roadway
outside the port to prevent Indigenous youth from being arrested. Later
that day, learning of the arrests of a number of the women at the
Unist'ot'en Camp, several hundred people again marched through the
streets of Vancouver.
In New Hazelton, a community located west of
Smithers, protesters blocked railways, affecting Canadian National
Railway service to the Port of Prince Rupert.
 
Victoria, opening of BC
Legislature, February 11, 2020.
Cowichan, BC
Nanaimo, BC
Comox, BC
Campbell River, BC
Vancouver rally, February 9, 2020.
Vancouver, Broadway and Cambie, February 11, 2020
Blockade of Port of Vancouver, February 9, 2020.
Blockade of secondary rail line,
Vancouver, February 11, 2020.
Blockade of container terminal, Delta, BC,
February 9, 2020.
Terrace, BC
Kelowna, BC
Kaslo, BC
Blockade of rail line, New Hazelton, BC, February 8, 2020.
Alberta
On February 7, almost 100 people
entered the lobby of Canada Place in Edmonton calling for the Alberta
Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) to divest its 65 per cent
equity interest in the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
Students at the University of Alberta in Edmonton,
on February 10, staged a walkout and rally on the campus, then moved to
Enbridge Place in downtown Edmonton to join a rally held by
Indigenous Youth for Wet'suwet'en.
People blocked the Reconciliation Bridge in
Calgary on February 10 as part of a rally in support of the
Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs.
Calgary, AB
Saskatchewan
A group of Wet'suwet'en supporters blocked the
Albert Street bridge in Regina on February 8.
Regina, SK
Manitoba
Youth from Winnipeg have been occupying the
constituency office of Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal since
February 4. On February 7 traffic on Portage Avenue was shut down for a
rally outside the RCMP office. Another rally, on February 10, took over
four intersections in downtown Winnipeg.
Winnipeg, MB, February 10, 2020
Ontario
Passenger and freight rail traffic between Toronto
and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa has been stopped in
Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville since February 6 despite an
injunction obtained by CN from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in
Toronto. The injunction was served to demonstrators by CN police on
February 8, however, as of February 14 it has not been enforced by the
Ontario Provincial Police.
Indigenous youth and allies have occupied the
Ministry of Justice building in Ottawa, demanding a meeting with
Justice Minister David Lametti. A news release issued February 10 said
the youth and their allies will continue their occupation "until RCMP
stand down, the demands of the hereditary leadership of the
Wet'suwet'en peoples is respected, and all land defenders are released
and cleared of all charges."
Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth occupied the
Toronto constituency office of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Minister Carolyn Bennett, February 10-11.
Demonstrators, at a solidarity rally in Waterloo,
occupied the offices of MP Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and
Inclusion and Youth, on February 10 to show support for the
Wet'suwet'en nation following a rally earlier in the day at the
University of Waterloo.
University of Windsor student and
faculty walkout and march, February 13, 2020, for a time blocked off
access to Ambassador Bridge to the USA.
 
Brantford, ON
Rally of hundreds of people block rail line in Toronto, February 9,
2020.
Occupation of Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett's
office,
February 10, 2020.
Toronto, ON
  
Barrie, ON
Kingston, ON
Rail blockade, Tyendinaga, ON, February 9,
2020.
Occupation of Ministry of Justice offices,
Ottawa, ON, February 10, 2020.
Quebec
Since February 8, people from Kahnawake Mohawk
territory have been blocking commuter rail tracks, leading to the
suspension of service on the Candiac line, which is overseen by the
regional authority, Exo.
Kahnawake Mohawk Territory
  
Rally outside Prime Minister Trudeau's riding office, Montreal, QC,
February 10, 2020.
Rimouski, QC
 
Listuguj, QC
Nova Scotia
Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth occupied
Halifax Liberal MP Andy Fillmore's constituency office on February 7.
On February 11, a demonstration blocked the Fairview Cove container
terminal in Halifax, and on February 12, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia
Freeland's visit was greeted by protests at Halifax city hall and at
the Nova Scotia Premier's office, demanding she address the RCMP's
occupation of Wet'suwet'en territory.
Fairview Cover container terminal, Halifax, NS, February 11, 2020
RCMP station, Antigonish, NS,
February 11, 2020
Newfoundland and Labrador
About 100 people rallied at Memorial University's
Signal Hill campus in St. John's on February 10, where Natural
Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan was set to speak.
 
St. John's, NL
International Solidarity Actions
Washington DC, USA
Boston, USA
Ithaca, USA
 
San Francisco, USA
Seattle, USA
Juneau, USA
London, England
West Newton, England
New Zealand
This article was published in
Volume 50 Number 4 - February 15, 2020
Article Link:
Coast to Coast and International Actions Condemn the Violence of the Colonial Canadian State
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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