Ottawa marches in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en land defenders

“RCMP needs to stop acting like a private security force,” Sophia Siearos and others respond to the RCMP enforcement of the injunction early this morning. 

Credit: (Morgana Adby/The Canada Files)

Written by: Morgana Adby

The march on parliament hill was cheerful in tone; people chanted, and there were many stops where the community was treated to a song or a few words of hope. These bright spirits remained, even as the snow began to collect in mounds on the heads of the attendees. 

However, when you look past the optimism and momentum, these rally-goers are somber about their cause. 

On Feb. 7th, solidarity protests broke out across the country, to support the Wet’suwet’en land protectors. Early in the morning, the RCMP enforced the injunction, ordering everyone to leave. There were six arrests, and a VICE journalist was threatened with arrest if they remained to witness the enforcement. 

Yesterday, The Canada Files attended two of these protests. Toronto, and in my case, Ottawa.

It started at noon with the audio from updates of land protectors, that would have been radioed out when the RCMP were interacted with. A few words from activists; Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people that bear witness, and then we were off. 

The rally went smoothly. We made two major stops, once for a Strong Woman’s Song, where all were invited to join in a song of solidarity for missing and murdered Indigenous women and two-spirited folks. The second stop was at our final destination, where a Unity Song was sung as everyone held hands and danced as a circle; we were told the song originated as a Black Civil Rights movement song. 

Sophia Siearos, one of the people who spoke at the rally, is trying to help the public understand that her actions against the pipeline are not a “personal attack,” on anyone.

“Alberta has a war room, you know? All we are doing is trying to protect our land.”

She expressed that she knows that it is difficult to hear the way that one’s actions may affect others, but she is ready to continue speaking. She says that the land protectors have been fighting for this land for generations “and we are going to continue doing that, even if it means we die,”.