Keep the Momentum Going: All Eyes on Wet’suwet’en Calling Spree

As the RCMP remains on sovereign Wet’suwet’en territory immediately to help the government push through the CGL pipeline, blockades and actions continue across so-called Canada in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs in demanding that BC, Canada, the RCMP and CGL respect their authority.

This Saturday, help us keep the pressure up and keep #AllEyesOnWetsuweten by joining Leap UofT, the Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, and the Graduate Students’ Association of Italian Studies for a calling and social media spree, where land defenders will be speaking about their ongoing work. Let’s make sure none of the officials with the power to pull the RCMP out get a moment of peace until they do so!

Location: Junior Common Room, University College

Wet’suwet’en sovereignty and law must be respected–we stand with the hereditary chiefs in demanding that the RCMP withdraw from Wet’suwet’en land!

There will be snacks!

***Access notes:
Due to the UC Revitalization Project Construction, there will be no wheelchair-accessible entrance to University College until further notice. Since the UC Quad is a high-traffic construction area during the project, the entry must be restricted as a safety precaution. We hope to have accessible entrance re-opened as soon as possible. If you plan to attend and need accessibility assistance, please notify the event organizers at paolo.frasca@utoronto.ca to arrange an escort through the construction zone.

For information on all construction-related closures and a list of available entrances, please visit: https://www.uc.utoronto.ca/uc-under-construction

***Background:

Tuesday, January 7th 2020 marked one year since the violent raid on the unarmed Gidimt’en checkpoint and Wet’suwet’en people. At the end of December 2019, Coast Gas Link was granted an permanent injunction by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

After weeks of intimidation and harassment by the RCMP following the injunction, and the establishment of an illegal exclusion zone that denied Wet’suwet’en people and their guests access to their territory, numerous violent arrests were made at various camps. Matriarchs and land defenders were arrested at gun point and dragged off their land.

Despite misleading media that the RCMP has offered to “withdraw” or stand down, the RCMP is still present on sovereign Wet’suwet’en territory. They continue to increase harassment and surveillance of the camps. The demands of the hereditary chiefs have not been met.

Our academic institutions are complicit in this violent violation of Wet’suwet’en sovereignty. Many institutions have declined to make a statement, and maintain Foundation and pension investments in TC Energy and the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline.

***Leap UofT is an action group of OPIRG Toronto***