*** This post will continue to be updated as the day’s events unfold ***
RCMP have begun the second day of their enforcement of a temporary injunction on Wet’suwet’en land.
Today, police will be making their way to the Unist’ot’en camp to continue the dismantling of barriers set up to prevent access of Coastal GasLink workers.
Contrary to some reports, RCMP did not move on the Unist’ot’en camp yesterday, ceasing efforts after arresting multiple land defenders at the Gidimt’en access point.
A temporary injunction requesting the removal of the baracades at the camp was issued last month by the BC Supreme Court to allow CGL to advance construction of their 670 km pipeline.
Most Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs stand opposed to the construction of the pipeline on their unceded lands, due primarily to environmental concerns.
As a result, they never gave consent for the construction of the pipeline, despite the elected chiefs vote to allow it.
Set up as a way to block CGL workers from encroaching on their title rights and trespassing on their lands, the RCMP’s forceful removal of land defenders is seen by the Nation as a violation of these rights.
Yesterday’s movements by RCMP led to the arrest of 14 individuals, 13 of which will be sent to Prince George for court appearances.
Poor communication with the camps yesterday led to false reports that RCMP had been jamming communications and that military were present.
Both of those assertions were cited as incorrect in an RCMP statement issued this morning.
We will continue to update you as day two of the enforced injuntion unfolds.
3:41
Molly Wickham, who had become the face of the 14 Wet’suwet’en land defenders arrested yesterday will be released following court hearings in Prince George.
Little in the way of details is known at the moment regarding the circumstances of the release, or of the fate of the other 12 individuals brought to Prince George.
Wickham is a spokesperson for the Gidimt’en tribe of the Wet’suwet’en who had been vocalizing the efforts of the land defenders within the camp.
This is a developing story and we will update you as more information becomes available.
