RCMP Taser supporter of Gidimt’en land defence struggle against Coastal GasLink pipeline

Still from video.

On September 27, Gidimt’en Checkpoint posted: “Early in the morning on September 25th a supporter was tazered and arrested on the road to the drill pad site where CGL [Coastal GasLink] plans to drill under Wedzin Kwa [river], where they would destroy precious salmon habitat and make the pristine water undrinkable.”

The 1-minute video of the arrest that carries a “police violence” warning can be seen here.

The supporter appears to be the operator of the heavy machinery that was used to impede the access road so that CGL could not access the site where it plans to drill under the river.

A Taser is a hand-held energy weapon used by the police. It can deliver up to 50,000 volts of energy, but the company says its Taser X26 delivers an average of 1,200 volts to a person (a typical electrical outlet in Canada delivers 120 volts of electricity).

The Gidimt’en continue: “We will not accept any violence against our guests! Supporters that come to stand with us against capitalist greed and destruction do so with the invitation, full support and protection of Dinï ze’ Woos [the Hereditary Chief of the Gidimt’en clan].”

The Gidimt’en are a clan of the Wet’suwet’en nation whose unceded territory is situated within the province of British Columbia in Canada.

On December 13, 2019, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on the State party (Canada) to “immediately halt the construction and suspend all permits and approvals for the construction of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline in the traditional and unceded lands and territories of the Wet’suwet’en people, until they grant their free, prior and informed consent.”

It further urged the “State party to guarantee that no force will be used against Wet’suwet’en peoples and that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and associated security and policing services will be withdrawn from their traditional lands.”

This 4-minute video featuring Gidimt’en Checkpoint spokesperson Sleydo provides the context of this land defence struggle and makes a call for people to come to the land in solidarity with the Gidimt’en against the pipeline that lacks their free, prior and informed consent.

For updates, please see Gidimt’en Checkpoint on Twitter, the Gidimt’en Checkpoint Facebook page, the Gidimt’en Yintah Access website, and yintah_access on Instagram.