In a civil action filed in the BC Supreme Court on Wednesday, two elders and one of the leaders of the protests against Coast GasLink say they have been subjected to a “relentless campaign of harassment and intimidation” on unallocated land adjacent to leads to the pipeline construction site. Janet Williams, Lawrence Bazil and Molly Wickham – known as Sleydo ‘- claim that the courts gave Coast GasLink an order to protect access by road, but that order did not allow police to stop Wet’suwet’en people to “use, understand and live on their land”. “There is a lot of opposition to enforcing an order and being in the territory for a specific legal reason and getting involved in these kinds of behavior that they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the last more than three months now,” Wickham said. . the CBC. “We demand compensation from all these companies for the coercion and the psychological damage and the violation of our right to be in our territory and to participate in cultural practices.”

“Does not impede traffic”

The 32-page civil claim notice focuses on two locations along the remote Morice Forest Service Road – Lamprey Village and Gidimt’en checkpoint. The road leads to the site where Coast GasLink is building a 670-kilometer gas pipeline that stretches from Dawson Creek in the east to Kitimat in the west. Sleydo ‘Molly Wickham is one of three Wet’suwet’en Nation members who have sued RCMP and Coastal GasLink for alleged harassment through police officers and police officers who go beyond the bounds of an order. (Jason Proctor / Zoom) The company has signed supply agreements with 20 band boards along the project route. But Wet’suwet’en’s hereditary leadership says band councils have no power over land beyond reserve limits. The company took precautionary measures in 2018 and 2019 that prevent heirs’s supporters from blocking road access to the site. According to the claim notice, the Gidimt’en checkpoint was set up in December 2018 at a 10-meter stretch south of Morice Forest Service Road as “an important symbol of Wet’suwet’en resistance to the pipeline project”. The checkpoint claims that the checkpoint consists of at least a dozen buildings that include cabins, canvas tents and cooking facilities. Lamprey Village is located about 500 meters to the east and is “occupied by members of the Gidimt’en tribe in an effort to restore their presence in their traditional territory”. The lawsuit alleges that the checkpoint was the home of Williams and Bazil and “a place of regular cultural practice” for Wickham. “The Gidimt’en checkpoint does not in any way prevent travel along it [road]”, The claim states. “Lamprey Village is just visible from [road]. It does not block traffic along it [road] not at all.”

The lawsuit claims that police, Coast Gaslink, a security company and a subcontractor have conspired by systematically sharing information, videos and photos as part of a “joint effort” to force protesters to leave. The court document cites incidents that began last February, which include entering the disputed areas several times a day, requiring an ID photo, “fire and floodlights in residential buildings all night,” confiscation of equipment and property, and conduct illegal arrests and detentions. The Coastal GasLink gas pipeline crosses approximately 625 rivers, creeks, waters, streams and lakes along the 670-kilometer route north of BC (CBC News) “They were irrational and excessive, racially biased, malicious and abusive of police powers,” the lawsuit alleges. “They represent an effort to suppress legal activity and to claim the rights and title of the natives.” Wickham is one of 10 protesters waiting to find out if the BC Attorney’s Office plans to proceed with contempt charges stemming from alleged road service violations last fall. Earlier this month, the Crown decided to accuse 15 other protesters of contempt, but asked until July 7 to decide whether Wickham and nine others would be tried. In an interview with CBC, Wickham said the lawsuit filed this week raises a different – but relevant – issue with the battle for precautionary measures. “There they could claim that they had the legal power to enter and make arrests based on the imposition of precautionary measures,” he said. “When they enter village locations, they have no legal authority to do so. They have no jurisdiction to enter our private homes, our private locations. And so that was something we have. I kept asking them, ‘What is this?’ your power to be here? »». The civil claim notice states that the officers have claimed their right to be in the “land of the crown” or “to check to ensure that no one violated the terms”. In a statement, a police spokesman said the RCMP had not yet complied with the claim, but would provide a “formal response through the civil court process” when it received a copy. Coast GasLink has not yet responded to the lawsuit. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

title: “Wet Suwet En Members Sue Rcmp And Coastal Gaslink For Alleged Harassment And Intimidation " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-03” author: “Martha Cromwell”

In a civil action filed in the BC Supreme Court on Wednesday, two elders and one of the leaders of the protests against Coast GasLink say they have been subjected to a “relentless campaign of harassment and intimidation” on unallocated land adjacent to leads to the pipeline construction site. Janet Williams, Lawrence Bazil and Molly Wickham – known as Sleydo ‘- claim that the courts gave Coast GasLink an order to protect access by road, but that order did not allow police to stop Wet’suwet’en people to “use, understand and live on their land”. “There is a lot of opposition to enforcing an order and being in the territory for a specific legal reason and getting involved in these kinds of behavior that they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the last more than three months now,” Wickham said. . the CBC. “We demand compensation from all these companies for the coercion and the psychological damage and the violation of our right to be in our territory and to participate in cultural practices.”

“Does not impede traffic”

The 32-page civil claim notice focuses on two locations along the remote Morice Forest Service Road – Lamprey Village and Gidimt’en checkpoint. The road leads to the site where Coast GasLink is building a 670-kilometer gas pipeline that stretches from Dawson Creek in the east to Kitimat in the west. Sleydo ‘Molly Wickham is one of three Wet’suwet’en Nation members who have sued RCMP and Coastal GasLink for alleged harassment through police officers and police officers who go beyond the bounds of an order. (Jason Proctor / Zoom) The company has signed supply agreements with 20 band boards along the project route. But Wet’suwet’en’s hereditary leadership says band councils have no power over land beyond reserve limits. The company took precautionary measures in 2018 and 2019 that prevent heirs’s supporters from blocking road access to the site. According to the claim notice, the Gidimt’en checkpoint was set up in December 2018 at a 10-meter stretch south of Morice Forest Service Road as “an important symbol of Wet’suwet’en resistance to the pipeline project”. The checkpoint claims that the checkpoint consists of at least a dozen buildings that include cabins, canvas tents and cooking facilities. Lamprey Village is located about 500 meters to the east and is “occupied by members of the Gidimt’en tribe in an effort to restore their presence in their traditional territory”. The lawsuit alleges that the checkpoint was the home of Williams and Bazil and “a place of regular cultural practice” for Wickham. “The Gidimt’en checkpoint does not in any way prevent travel along it [road]”, The claim states. “Lamprey Village is just visible from [road]. It does not block traffic along it [road] not at all.”

The lawsuit claims that police, Coast Gaslink, a security company and a subcontractor have conspired by systematically sharing information, videos and photos as part of a “joint effort” to force protesters to leave. The court document cites incidents that began last February, which include entering the disputed areas several times a day, requiring an ID photo, “fire and floodlights in residential buildings all night,” confiscation of equipment and property, and conduct illegal arrests and detentions. The Coastal GasLink gas pipeline crosses approximately 625 rivers, creeks, waters, streams and lakes along the 670-kilometer route north of BC (CBC News) “They were irrational and excessive, racially biased, malicious and abusive of police powers,” the lawsuit alleges. “They represent an effort to suppress legal activity and to claim the rights and title of the natives.” Wickham is one of 10 protesters waiting to find out if the BC Attorney’s Office plans to proceed with contempt charges stemming from alleged road service violations last fall. Earlier this month, the Crown decided to accuse 15 other protesters of contempt, but asked until July 7 to decide whether Wickham and nine others would be tried. In an interview with CBC, Wickham said the lawsuit filed this week raises a different – but relevant – issue with the battle for precautionary measures. “There they could claim that they had the legal power to enter and make arrests based on the imposition of precautionary measures,” he said. “When they enter village locations, they have no legal authority to do so. They have no jurisdiction to enter our private homes, our private locations. And so that was something we have. I kept asking them, ‘What is this?’ your power to be here? »». The civil claim notice states that the officers have claimed their right to be in the “land of the crown” or “to check to ensure that no one violated the terms”. In a statement, a police spokesman said the RCMP had not yet complied with the claim, but would provide a “formal response through the civil court process” when it received a copy. Coast GasLink has not yet responded to the lawsuit. None of the allegations have been proven in court.