Wet'suwet'en supporters block CN Rail tracks in east Vancouver
Credit to Author: Postmedia News| Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2020 22:51:55 +0000
A number of Wet’suwet’en supporters have blocked CN Rail tracks in east Vancouver on Sunday afternoon.
About two dozen people stood on a set of rail tracks located near Venables and Clark on Sunday beginning around noon, as a show of solidarity for Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who are currently fighting the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline on their traditional territory in northern B.C.
Vancouver police officers reportedly visited the blockade shortly after it formed. There are no arrests reported at this time.
The anti-pipeline protesters have said they are prepared to stay the night.
Sunday’s rail blockade builds off the momentum from weeks of public action and shows of solidarity for the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who are fighting the Coastal GasLink pipeline project in northeast B.C.
The $6.6-billion Coastal GasLink pipeline is set to extend from Dawson Creek to Kitimat, and has the support of 20 elected band councils along the route. Each of the councils has signed benefit agreements with the company ensuring proceeds that would help each band become less reliant on federal funding.
Wet’suwet’en hereditary house chiefs, however, say the pipeline cannot proceed without their consent, as they have authority over a broader 22,000 square kilometres of traditional territory that is crossed by the pipeline, whereas the elected band councils control smaller reserve lands. Alternate routes were proposed by the clan chiefs but CGL maintained the alternatives were not feasible and would increase costs.
Court injunctions issued to Coastal GasLink order land defenders, supporters and protesters off the construction site so that work can continue, and these injunctions have been executed by RCMP officers in recent weeks, resulting in arrests.
CN Rail was also issued and injunction, after earlier rail blockades halted trains and shipments across the country.
VANCOUVER, B.C.; February 23, 2020 – Protesters block a rail line at Venables and Glen Drive in Vancouver, B.C., February 23, 2020. Protesters are standing in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who are fighting the Coastal GasLink project in their territory in northern B.C.
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