A group of what is expected to be more than 500 Indigenous youth and their allies in Ottawa are making demands of the federal government in support of Wet’suwet’en land defenders.
In a news release from Climate Justice Ottawa, the group says it wants to see immediate action to meet the demands of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs.
Those demands include:
- That the remote detachment (Community Industry Safety Office) established by the RCMP on Wet’suwet’en territory without their consent be immediately removed and that the RCMP are completely removed from their territory and cease patrols from their lands.
- That all Coastal GasLink activities cease within Wet’suwet’en territory while nation-to-nation talks are ongoing, as pursuant to the eviction notice that was delivered to them on January 4, 2020.
- That the federal government enters into nation-to-nation discussions with the hereditary chiefs on Wet’suwet’en territory once the above two demands are met.
Rally-goers met Monday on Parliament Hill at 9 a.m., to express their solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and land defenders.
Despite the British Columbia RCMP’s announcement that they are withdrawing from Wet’suwet’en territory, the Ottawa group of activists say the RCMP remains on the territory and is accusing police forces of increased harassment, surveillance, and illegal arrests of Wet’suwet’en people.
