The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Jennifer K. Falcon, 209-814-9670, jennifer@ienearth.org

Peaceful Indigenous Land Defenders Threatened With Violence

WASHINGTON

Watch this video of heavily militarized police invading #Wetsuweten territories. Right now dozens of militarized police with assault rifles and dogs have been deployed against unarmed Wet'suwet'en land defenders on unceded Indigenous land. Here's more on the ground video that was captured. At least 100 police are part of the operation. Six arrests have been made so far, while two Wet'suwet'en home sites remain in the path of police violence, including the Unist'ot'en Healing Center founded in 2015. Watch this video of Freda Huson, Healing Center founder, giving an update 31 days after the eviction.

Solidarity Actions

PLEASE SUPPORT US IN STOPPING AND HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE THESE COLONIAL INVADERS. LET THEM KNOW THE WORLD IS WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE WITH YOUR NETWORKS.

Background

January 5th, 2020 Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs representing all five clans of the Wet'suwet'en Nation evicted Coastal GasLink (CGL) from their territories. CGL does not have consent to construct their $6.6 billion fracked gas pipeline. CGL is trying to push through their project on unceded Indigenous territories. "Under 'Anuc niwh'it'en (Wet'suwet'en law) all five clans of the Wet'suwet'en have unanimously opposed all pipeline proposals and have not provided free, prior, and informed consent to Coastal Gaslink/TransCanada to do work on Wet'suwet'en lands." The Royal Canadian Mountain Police are invading the land to clear it of Indigenous land defenders and their supporters so that CGL can continue work. Hereditary Chief Dsta'hyl (Liksamisu Clan) said, "wet'suwet'en will enforce the eviction of Coastal Gaslink with any means at their disposal."

You can donate to legal defense/support funds here:
Gidimt'en: https://bit.ly/389LIoo
Unist'ot'en: https://bit.ly/2SnIiYy
Likht'samisyu: https://bit.ly/388m3wu

Breaking Updates from Day

To follow the events of the invasion:
https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/
https://www.facebook.com/wetsuwetenstrong/
@UnistotenCamp

Click here for the 2020 Wet'suwet'en Supporter Toolkit

Today's News Coverage from on the ground media: The Tyee and Vice
MORE MEDIA BACKGROUND

Hashtags for Social Media:
#LANDBACK
#WETSUWETENSTRONG
#SHUTDOWNCANADA
Short Documentary Film on The Story: INVASION

Established in 1990 within the United States, IEN was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN's activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.