OPPOSE CRIMINALIZATION OF LAND DEFENDERS: CONTACT BC ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVID EBY
Mere weeks ago, the office of the Attorney General of British Columbia agreed to criminalize Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders that were arrested on November 18th. Now, on the heels of Indigenous History Month, National Indigneous Peoples Day, and Canada Day, 10 others including Sleydo’ face criminal contempt charges for defending unceded land.
Vancouver allies rally in front of AG David Eby’s office to tell him to Drop the Charges! They delivered 5625 signatures from residents opposed to the charges!
Land Defenders on Wet’suwet’en territory have been standing in opposition to the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline that is to be built on their land. Hereditary Chiefs have not consented to the project, and it is the Hereditary Chiefs whose consent CGL legally needs to continue with the project.
Since this opposition began, RCMP have acted like and coordinated with private security to CGL, violently entering Wet’suwet’en homes without warrants, terrorizing and harassing people on the territory multiple times a day, every day, and forcibly removing Wet’suwet’en peoples from their territory (a blatant violation of Article 10 of UNDRIP) in heavily militarized raids on the territory.
Photo taken June 22, 2022 09:58 am of RCMP C-IRG 4 and Forsythe 427 outside Gidimt’en Checkpoint. Forsythe parks 24/7 here and at the bridge. RCMP check in with them multiple times a day/night.
In recent months alone, the lawsuit alleges, police have threatened & made unlawful arrests, demanded identification from Gidimt’en guests, blocked visitors, entered village sites multiple times per day, assaulted & battered visitors, shone high beams and spotlights wakened and harassed sleeping residents, seized Gidimt’en equipment and property, opened doors to residential buildings,and followed individuals on remote forest service roads.
Coastal GasLink’s private security contractor Forsythe has deployed ex-law enforcement to conduct 24 hour surveillance, continually filming residents including children, on Gidimt’en villages and sharing information with RCMP.
Last month, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued its third rebuke to BC and Canada, calling for a withdrawal of police forces and the cessation of the forced eviction of Wet’suwet’en people from their territory. The letter urges Canada to cease construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, until free, and prior informed consent is received from the Wet’suwet’en people and to engage in negotiations with these impacted communities.
In solidarity,
The Decolonial Solidarity Organizing Team
(The Unist’ot’en Solidarity Brigade is pleased to be able to amplify the ongoing work of our friends in The Decolonial Solidarity Organizing Team in support of the Gidemt’en land defenders, allies and all Wet’suwet’en people upholding the responsibilities of their Nation to protect the Yintah.)
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Vancouver allies rally in front of AG David Eby’s office to tell him to Drop the Charges! They delivered 5625 signatures from residents opposed to the charges!
