Wet'suwet'en solidarity protesters occupy Carolyn Bennett's office
Credit: (Justin Lam/The Canada Files)
Written by: Justin Lam
Hundreds people protested in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders by occupying the office of Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Carolyn Bennett on Monday.
The protest was hosted by Climate Justice Toronto and Fridays for Future. Both organizations are advocates for raising awareness of climate change.
Anna Osterberg, an organizer from Climate Justice Toronto, said, “The RCMP is engaging in illegal activities.”
“Conducting raids on unceded indigenous territory in order to install a pipeline is destroying the land around it and is contributing to the climate crisis that is threatening to eliminate the possibility of life on Earth,” Osterberg said.
Simran Dhunna, an organizer from Climate Justice Toronto, said, “We organize against the climate crisis by really being honest about its root causes. And so, all of us are here today in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en.”
“This is a climate issue, and it's an indigenous sovereignty struggle that all of us have to be here for,” said Dhunna.
Members of Climate Justice Toronto and indigenous youth protested inside the office.
However, Toronto police officers denied entry of protestors who brought supplies for the members protesting inside the office.
Alienor Rougeot, a coordinator of Fridays for Future, said, “We want to show up with the indigenous youth that were inside the office to first of all be witnesses of what could happen, but also it was to denounce the invasion of the RCMP on Wet’suwet’en territory.”
During the protest, chants such as “shut down Canada,” “when the water we drink is under attack, stand up and fight back,” and “how do you spell racist? RCMP” were being shouted.
Protestors march from Eglinton Park to Carolyn Bennett's office. (Justin Lam/The Canada Files)
On Dec. 31, the B.C. Supreme Court permitted Coastal GasLink an injunction towards people of the Wet’suwet’en Nation due to their land being a necessity for the pipeline project, according to CTV News.
On Feb. 6, at least Wet’suwet’en land defenders was arrested by the RCMP due to their resistance to comply with a court-ordered evacuation of their northern B.C lands, according to Vice.
Emma Hansen, an organizer from Climate Justice Toronto, said, “Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en people is important because I respect the principle of territorial sovereignty.”
“We want our MPs to use their power, which they fully have in their hands, to get the RCMP off land that does not belong to Canada,” said Hansen.
As of Feb. 10, the RCMP are still raiding Wet’suwet’en land defender camps.
Dhunna said, “They are experiencing their fifth day of a raid by the RCMP, which means that the RCMP are trespassing on their unceded land illegally.”
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