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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Disturbing video shows RCMP pointing rifle at unarmed Indigenous land defenders.
Feb 13, Smithers (BC) - Newly released video from the Feb 7th RCMP raid on the Gidimt’en Checkpoint on Wet’suwet’en territory shows an RCMP sniper pointing a rifle at Denzel Sutherland-Wilson of the Gitxsan Nation and Anne Spice of the Tlingit Nation. It is one terrifying moment taken from a multi-hour operation led by more than sixty RCMP, including militarized tactical teams who were deployed via helicopter with assault rifles, snipers, and dogs. They arrested four unarmed Indigenous land defenders.
The video was filmed by Denzel Sutherland-Wilson from atop a watchtower established on Gidimt’en territory.
Original Post: https://www.facebook.com/wetsuwetenstrong/videos/120846969334450/
For Download (news access until March 13th, 2020): https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jQWPKSEUX0YXjN-9ooRgOmvdZ_9XaIH2
CONTEXT:
The events of the past week on Wet’suwet’en territories have been an extreme demonstration of colonial violence, carried out in contravention of Wet’suwet’en, Canadian and international law.
It was carried out as part of an RCMP enforcement of a interlocatory injunction approved by Justice Church, who also approved the TMX pipeline on February 4, 2020. Of the 28 land defenders arrested on our territory, only one, known as Lady Chainsaw, remains in custody for refusing to sign any papers acknowledging colonial law. She has been transferred to Prince George Correctional Centre.
As of today, the RCMP’s “exclusion zones” have been lifted and we have returned to our territories, but there is still a heavy RCMP presence on Wet’suwet’en land. We expect them to continue facilitating CGL access to unceded territories despite not having free, prior and informed consent from our Hereditary Chiefs. The eviction notice the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs delivered to CGL on January 4th, 2020 still stands and will continue to be enforced with the full power and jurisdiction under Wet’suwet’en law.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Wickham
Media Coordinator for Gidim’ten Camp
(778) 210 0067
yintahaccess@gmail.com
Yintahaccess.com
Media Backgrounder - Wet’suwet’en 101:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xoGCEZdwn9ExzYPEDwqY063V5fLj3iatu-AOF-lqGQ4/edit?usp=sharing
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Established in 1990, The Indigenous Environmental Network is an international environmental justice nonprofit that works with tribal grassroots organizations to build the capacity of Indigenous communities. IEN’s activities include empowering Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, the health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.
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