Category: RT Reportbacks

Report backs from actions and events that Rising Tide affiliates/allies organized. A reportback is almost never also an “announcement.”

Students Demand Stop Line 3 Action from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

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from Northfield Against Line 3

Students Demand Stop Line 3 Action from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Walz refuses dialogue

Over 40 students and community members protested Governor Tim Walz’s negligence and inaction at a moderated conversation between the governor and reporter Pat Kessler, hosted by Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota this morning. Protesters shut down the forum multiple times, with different groups addressing police brutality, climate and environmental justice, and MN state investments in the fossil fuel industry?. Onstage, Walz committed to dialoguing with protesters about their concerns after the forum ended; however, at the end of the event, protesters awaiting dialogue were informed the Governor would not speak with them.

At 10:15am, activists with Justice for Jamar called out questions about police brutality and state inaction from the audience. 15 activists, including family members of police murder victims, came to confront and question Governor Walz because he has refused previous communication. There was a verbal back and forth between Justice for Jamar activists, the moderator, Pat Kessler, and the Governor himself. Protestors were forced to leave the auditorium by police.

At 10:30am, following the forced removal and detainment of several nonviolent activists for the Justice for Jamar movement, the moderator asked Walz an audience question about Line 3: “Governor, why are you choosing to willingly create a public health crisis and put Native communities at risk by failing to oppose Line 3?”

Instead of responding to the question, Walz argued that he doesn’t have jurisdiction over the choices of the Public Utilities Commission or the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. He refused yet again to publicly comment on or recognize the detrimental effects of the Line 3 expansion project. If he regards the issues around climate change as seriously as he claims to, he would publicly denounce the project.

Line 3 protestors responded to the moderator’s question about the climate crisis by standing in front of the stage with banners reading “Stop Line 3” and highlighting Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Line 3 activists were told that if they left, same as the Justice for Jamar activists, there would be a one on one meeting with the Governor to address these issues. This did not occur: the commitment the governor made was a lie intended only to remove activists from the audience.

Here are our questions for Governor Walz, should he have upheld his commitment to dialogue:

  • By what date will the Dept of Commerce appeal against the Certificate of Need be refiled? If you don’t have a date yet, when will you let us know a date?
  • Can you commit to following the science rigorously on the 401 water crossing certification, and when the science shows a denial, following through on that by denying

Statement of Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Leadership in Resistance to the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline

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photo credit: Cualli Tlazocamati

In response to the ongoing rebellion against the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline and the Canadian government’s human rights abuses at the Wet’suwet’en, Unist’ot’en and Gidimt’en camps, Rising Tide North America issues the follow statement:

“Rising Tide North America supports Wet’suwet’en hereditary leadership in resistance to the Coastal GasLink Pipeline. 

We unequivocally support the sovereignty and human rights of the Wet’suwet’en as title holders to their territory, and their rights to resist the massive fracked gas pipeline that puts their land water climate and women at risk.

The Canadian government and Coastal GasLink are using armed forces, snipers, and dogs to remove matriarchs and supporters from the yintah, they are ignoring the human rights of the Wet’suwet’en, Unist’ot’en and Gidimt’en camps.

We stand with Wet’suwet’en and their supporters as they continue to fight this armed invasion  by the Canadian Government of their territory and ongoing colonialism on behalf of a corporation. We see and honour the strength, courage and determination in all those taking action, defending their land through peaceful ceremony, rail blockades, launching legal challenges, and organizing against investors in the project.

The Wet’suwet’en community has a huge network of organizers, activists, musicians, artists, unions, labor councils, faith groups, that support their sovereignty and resistance, and are raising our voice as a collective in solidarity.

If you would like to continue to support the Wet’suwet’en solidarity efforts against Coastal GasLink there is a supporter toolkit here:

We will continue organizing alongside this powerful grassroots movement, to call out those supporting the armed invasion of Wet’suwet’en territory- the decision makers and investors in this project, and answer the call to action to stand strong against the Canadian government, and Coastal GasLink.”

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MN: Faith Leaders Read the Names of 227 Bodies of Water that Line 3 Will Cross

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via Resist Line 3

Participants to Read the Names of 227 Bodies of Water that Line 3 Will Cross in Minnesota

MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ’S OFFICE PRESENTED WITH LETTER AND DEMANDS FEB. 19 SIGNED BY MORE THAN 570 FAITH LEADERS AND OTHERS OPPOSED TO THE TAR SANDS PIPELINE “AS A REAL THREAT TO WATER, CLIMATE AND INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY”

More than 100 people gathered at the state capitol at Governor Tim Walz’s office to deliver a letter signed by more than 571 faith leaders  — including the Minnesota Council of Churches — and others opposed to the tar sands Line 3 in northern Minnesota, which “poses a real threat to water, climate and indigenous sovereignty.”

Minnesota’s own Dept. Of Commerce (DOC) has opposed this line since it was first proposed on analytical economic and environmental grounds, saying that Enbridge never demonstrated an economic need for the line (the oil will be shipped to foreign markets, and not used here), at a time when two major 2019 world reports that carbon emissions threaten to exacerbate climate change.  Mainstream climate and weather experts say is already being felt in Minnesota with increased precipitation and more severe storms.

via Resist Line 3

These issues were passionately argued recently by Public Utilities Commissioner Matthew Schuerger – a former supporter of the line — when he cast the lone PUC vote against approving the $2.6 billion project again.

“Since taking office, Governor Walz has vowed to uphold ambitious climate goals, but at the same time has avoided taking action to stop the largest proposed fossil fuel infrastructure project in the state,” says Julia Nerbonne, Executive Director of MNIPL).

“The Walz administration is poised to issue permits for 227 water crossings for this pipeline against the clear evidence of oil spill risk, broken treaties, and scientifically-vetted risks from climate change.  We join together as faith leaders to urge Governor Walz and other public officials to use their power to protect our sacred water.”

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Idaho: Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Actions Supporting Indigenous Rights

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cross-posted from Wild Idaho Rising Tide

via Wild Idaho Rising Tide

Media contact: Helen Yost, Wild Idaho Rising Tide, wild.idaho.rising.tide@gmail.com, 208-301-8039

Friday, February 21, Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Actions Supporting Indigenous Rights

  • Sandpoint, Idaho (Kalispel Territory): 12 pm on the?southwest corner of North Third Avenue and Oak Street, across from the Farmin Park clock, with the weekly, 350Sandpoint Climate Strike
  • Spokane, Washington (Spokane Territory): 3 pm at the park on the southeast corner of North Division Street and East Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
  • Moscow, Idaho (Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Territory): 5:30 pm at Friendship Square on the west side of South Main Street at West Fourth Street, with the weekly, Palouse Peace Coalition demonstration

Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), #No2ndBridge, and regional, climate activists are hosting demonstrations in Spokane, Washington, and Moscow and Sandpoint, Idaho, on Friday, February 21, in solidarity with five Wet’suwet’en Nation clans in west central British Columbia (B.C.) defending their sovereignty from Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) invasions imposing TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) construction of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) fracked gas pipeline from northeastern B.C., across unceded, Wet’suwet’en territories, to an unbuilt, liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Kitimat, B.C.  The clans’ hereditary chiefs have not provided their free, prior, and informed consent, as required by law, and have unanimously opposed the pipeline and police occupations.  They closed the Morice West Road into their lands and on January 4, evicted CGL from their territories, where it was building housing for 400-plus workers.

Amid rising tensions, RCMP attempted to enforce a December 2019, B.C. Supreme Court injunction that seeks to block Wet’suwet’en people from their traditional lands, by establishing an exclusion zone that eases CGL access to pipeline sites.  On February 6 to 10, militarized police with rifles, dogs, vehicles, and helicopters staged multiple raids of two Gidimt’en clan camps and checkpoints along the road, and the Unist’ot’en clan’s healing center beyond the gated, Morice River bridge.  At gunpoint, they detained journalists, arrested and removed 28 tribal members and supporters, some while in ceremony, towed resident vehicles, and dismantled camps, sacred fires, and dozens of red dresses strung along the road to symbolize the missing and murdered, indigenous women and girls victimized by transient, pipeline “man camps.”

Denouncing Canada’s failed reconciliation processes with First Nations, indigenous and allied, frontline activists across Canada and around the Earth have sustained scores of protests, marching, rallying, and blockading at government offices and buildings, city streets and highways, and ports and train tracks.  Canadian and western Washington sabotage and blockades of relatively indefensible rail lines connecting ports, refineries, and passenger and freight traffic have caused major railroad networks to cancel services, discouraged investments in energy projects, and disrupted business-as-usual, national economies.

Inland Northwest solidarity actions support Wet’suwet’en rights and title to their lands and waters and increasing, worldwide opposition to fossil fuels extraction, transportation, infrastructure, and pollution risks and impacts to public and environmental health and safety, which privatize public police and officials and criminalize land, water, and climate protectors.  Protest organizers encourage participants to learn more about Wet’suwet’en resistance to colonization, contact Canadian politicians to demand that they stop police violence, donate toward the Wet’suwet’en legal fund, and attend a demonstration in Moscow, Sandpoint, and Spokane on Friday, February 21.  For further issue and event information and ideas for relevant signs and banners, please see Wet’suwet’en supporter toolkits [1, 2], the international solidarity actions page [3], WIRT website and facebook event posts [4, 5], and the attached flyer.  Dress for winter warmth and dryness, bring friends, family, and creative signs, assist with carpools to these community events, and contact WIRT with your questions and suggestions.

[1] Wet’suwet’en Strong: Supporter Toolkit, Unist’ot’en Camp

[2] Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Art Kit

[3] When Justice Fails: Wet’suwet’en Strong Solidarity Actions, February 16, 2020 Harsha Walia

[4] Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Actions, February 16, 2020 Wild Idaho Rising Tide (website)

[5] Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Actions, February 16, 2020 Wild Idaho Rising Tide (facebook)