Hundreds gathered outside the 91大黄鸭 Law Courts to take part in a rally to show solidarity with Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n First Nation in its fight against the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline last Sunday.
Last Thursday, RCMP began enforcing an injunction order against Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n hereditary chiefs and supporters blocking a liquefied natural gas project that goes through its traditional territory in B.C.鈥檚 northwest region.
Since then, six people were arrested at a protest camp as well as another 11 for allegedly barricading themselves in a warming centre along the only access road to the construction site for the contentious pipeline project, which runs across Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n territory.
Protesters are matching down Water Street.
鈥� Michael Rodriguez (@MichaelRdrguez)
Dixon Terbasket helped organize 91大黄鸭鈥檚 rally. As a member of the Syilx First Nation and wildlife technician with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, he was happy to see people of all ethnicities come together to support Canada鈥檚 First Nations people and their land.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is trying to create awareness,鈥� said Terbasket.
鈥淚 just want to be respected as a human being, as somebody from this land and my children should have the same opportunities as (everyone else).
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see people from all different backgrounds here. There鈥檚 an open dialogue created by people supporting us.
鈥滻t鈥檚 not just those guys, it鈥檚 us guys and that makes a big difference.鈥�
The pipeline, which is part of a massive $40 billion LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export terminal project, runs from Dawson Creek to Kitimat.
The forestry road is part of an ongoing exclusion zone, which means that only police officers, hereditary chiefs or elected officials and media have been allowed through the checkpoint.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Six arrested as RCMP enforce injunction at Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n anti-pipeline camps
As tensions remain high along the rural northern B.C. road, a number of demonstrators had been protesting RCMP actions by occupying the legislature in Victoria for more than 24 hours.
Another protest shut down access to the Port of Vancouver.
Gail Classens, one of the rally organizers in 91大黄鸭, said it was important to take action.
鈥淲e saw the call for international solidarity actions,鈥� said Classens.
鈥淭here was the raid on Thursday and then we decided that we had to do something to answer that call, so we made a Facebook event and it started circulating.
鈥淚鈥檓 really happy with the turnout.鈥�
While the Syilx First Nation is more than 10 hours away from the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n First Nation, Classens said it鈥檚 important to unite as one and show solidarity.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 extremely important, (the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n First Nation) has asked for solidarity events and I think it鈥檚 important to stand up and try to fight back even if we are from somewhere that鈥檚 far away.鈥�
鈥� with files from Ashley Wadhwani
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