by Mary Lovell at Rising Tide North America
In the past two weeks, the Wet’suwet’en have faced brutal colonial and corporate violence. The RCMP forcibly removed community members and land defenders from their yintah (land) with snipers, helicopters, and dogs.
But, an incredible indigenous rights movement is fighting back. The best and most urgent ways you can show up right now are:
- Organize a solidarity action where you live. Here’s a toolkit from Unist’ot’en camp about solidarity actions. This could be anything from a rail blockade to a film screening fundraiser.
- Donate to Gidimt’en for logistical needs and legal support
Rail and port blockades continue to hold across so-called Canada, and the Canadian legal system is trying to criminalize and remove land defenders with sweeping injunctions. The grassroots community has been organizing inspiring, revolutionary actions in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation.
The Tyendinaga Mohawk community and allies have been holding a rail blockade on their territory for over two weeks in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en, and were just removed in a violent raid by the police last night. Already, a grassroots uprising has responded by blockading one of the largest bridges in Montreal, blocking the port in Vancouver, marching in Ottawa- and over 8 blockades created in one day.
We need you to show up to support this incredible resistance. Donate, and start organizing in your community today.
By burning illegal injunctions and continuing to hold prayer and ceremony in the face of colonial and corporate violence, the Wet’suwet’en maintain a powerful and inspiring praxis.
We demand that the Coastal GasLink project not move forward without Indigenous consent, and that the Canadian and B.C. governments remove the RCMP from Wet’suwet’en territory.
No matter where you live, there are relevant actions to plan. As mentioned in the Wet’suwet’en strong supporter toolkit, there are many responsible for the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
First, hundreds shut down all of the above-ground entrances to the B.C. Legislature building, postponing the Throne Speech, after over a week of holding protests drawing thousands to put pressure on John Horgan- premier of British Columbia.
Second, hundreds are targeting investors. Just last week, hundreds of people in London targeted one of the biggest CoastLink pipeline investors who is planning to buy 65% of the project, KKR. The fierce land defenders sat in at their office.
We’re also excited to announce that Rising Tide North America will be sharing more organizing strategies in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for that!
In the meantime, if you’d like to stay in the loop on all the amazing resistance coming out of Canada right now,, sign up for the Unist’ot’en Solidarity email list. It has a daily summary of actions and news from camp.
Also, even as the Canadian state continues in their violent and colonial ways, there are major victories. Indigenous land defenders and campaigners had a major win yesterday, as Teck Frontier the largest ever proposed tar sands mine has rescinded the application in recognition of Indigenous rights and title, the climate, and the uncertainty of construction in Canada.