PBI-Canada notes Haudenosaunee land defenders to remove barricades, allies concerns about police violence and forcible displacement

On September 10, 2020, provincial MPPs Suze Morrison and Sol Mamakwa and federal MP Matthew Green visited Haudenosaunee land defender Skyler Williams at the 1492LandBackLane resistance to land theft in southern Ontario.

On February 12, #1492LandBackLane tweeted:

“It’s been over 200 days since we asserted our land rights by occupying 1492 Land Back Lane, stopping the continued theft and development of our lands.

For over 100 days now we’ve also been holding the roads. When police antagonized and shot at us, members of our community came out to make sure that we would be safe and able to stay on the land. These barricades have protected us for over 100 days now.

On Tuesday morning we will be opening the roads, not to bow to police pressure, but because we are listening to our community.

Further criminalization of the peaceful occupation of our lands is unacceptable. Any further escalation and antagonization by the OPP will not be tolerated by us, our community, or by our growing network of allies across the country.”

Following that tweet, provincial MPP Suze Morrison tweeted: “One thing is for sure. Land disputes can’t be settled with policing. The Federal and Provincial governments need to come to the table & work with the Haudenosaunee people in good faith.”

And federal MP Matthew Green tweeted: “After more than 200 days @MarcMillerVM @Carolyn_Bennett have failed to honour their obligations in Nation to Nation relationships with the Haudenosaunee by peacefully coming to the negotiating table on this land dispute. @1492LBL are acting in good faith. Why won’t you?”

In this video, Green further states: “I am prepared to return should the authorities, the police and others, use their act of good will and good faith as a way to increase or escalate violence on those territories through forcible displacement and removal from those lands. …Further violence against the 1492 land defenders will not be tolerated.”

To support the 1492 Land Back Lane – Legal Fund established to assist with the legal costs resulting from the criminalization of the land defenders, click here.

On September 15, 2020, the Guapinol water defenders in Honduras who were attacked by police and imprisoned for their opposition to a mine development polluting their drinking water tweeted: “Our solidarity with the Haudenosaunee people.”