The Wedzin kwa River, an important source of fresh water for the Unist'ot'en and Wet'suwet'en people, flows near Houston, B.C., Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. RCMP say officers will be patrolling a forestry road in an area where two people were arrested among a group blockading a Coastal GasLink workers' camp near Houston, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Republished October 29, 2021 - 7:33 PM
Original Publication Date October 29, 2021 - 1:31 PM
HOUSTON, B.C. - The RCMP say officers will be patrolling a forestry road in an area where two people were arrested among a group blockading a Coastal GasLink workers' camp near Houston, B.C.
Cpl. Madonna Saunderson says in a release that police received several complaints about alleged vandalism and theft by protesters who had set up a blockade outside the workers' camp over several days.
Saunderson says the arrests were made Wednesday when the Mounties were called to help keep the peace as the pipeline workers evacuated the camp.
She says one person was taken into custody for outstanding theft and mischief allegations before a court appearance, while another was allegedly found in possession of stolen Coastal GasLink equipment and conditionally released before a future court date.
Protests last year against the pipeline set off rail blockades across the country in support of members of the Wet’suwet’en Nation who oppose the project, but a memorandum of understanding signed between the federal and provincial governments and hereditary chiefs later eased tensions.
A news release from the Likhts'amisyu, one of five Wet'suwet'en clans, says hereditary Chief Dini ze' Dsta'hyl was released Thursday after being held overnight.
"In observance of Wet’suwet’en trespass laws, Dini ze’ Dsta’hyl decommissioned 10 pieces of heavy construction equipment," it says.
The Coastal GasLink pipeline was approved by both the province and all 20 elected First Nation councils along its path to transport natural gas from northeastern B.C. to a processing and export facility on the coast in Kitimat.
However, the Likhts'amisyu say their members were never meaningfully consulted and have never given consent to fossil fuel projects on their land.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2021.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2021