The BC RCMP say they will be reviewing their actions in the clearing of a pipeline protest camp last week in WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n traditional territory south of Smithers.
Speaking at their headquarters in Surrey on Monday, Asst. Comm. Eric Stubbs said he hoped a recently signed agreement coupled with a temporary detachment of officers sent to the area will lead to more peaceful protests going forward.
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Tensions have been high at the two protest camps, and last week 14 people were arrested as police tried to enforce a court injunction to allow workers access to the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
When complete, the 670-kilometre pipeline will ship natural gas from the Peace region to a $40-billion LNG Canada export facility in Kitimat.
Stubbs said police went in on Jan. 7 to clear a gate set up at the GitumdB次元官网网址檈n camp after talks to resolve the conflict peacefully failed.
RCMP went over a barricade set up by protesters in what Stubbs called a B次元官网网址渆xtremely challenging situationB次元官网网址� for officers.
Stubbs says protesters are B次元官网网址渧ery passionate and determinedB次元官网网址� and that he hopes going forward they protest more B次元官网网址渟afely.B次元官网网址� Reminds everyone that protesting is a Canadian right.
B次元官网网址� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
B次元官网网址淭he protestersB次元官网网址� reaction to the police ranged from passive resistance to active resistance to actual assaultive behaviour,B次元官网网址� Stubbs said.
B次元官网网址淥ne person secured themselves to the bottom of the barricade, making climbing over the gate necessary. Two others attached themselves to the underside of a bus that was blocking access to the bridge.B次元官网网址�
Stubbs addressed B次元官网网址渟ome concerns over our actions,B次元官网网址� including police in tactical gear shown in videos that were taken at the protest camps.
Protesters have objected to the use of RCMP on Indigenous traditional territory, saying Canadian police have no jurisdiction in the region.
Asst. Commissioner Eric Stubbs said he understands there are B次元官网网址渟ome concernsB次元官网网址� over how RCMP cleared out protests camps in land.
B次元官网网址� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
B次元官网网址淲e have not ID-ed any issues regarding police officer conduct.B次元官网网址�
Says some protestors got violent and aggressive.
B次元官网网址淕iven the remoteness of the location and the unpredictability of what we could have faced, we developed an operational plan that included moving additional police resources into the area,B次元官网网址� Stubbs said.
He said Mounties will conduct an B次元官网网址渁fter-action reviewB次元官网网址� by looking through body cam, drone, helicopter, RCMP and publicly available videos.
B次元官网网址淭o date, we have not identified any issue in police officer conduct.B次元官网网址�
The agreement includes sending a temporary RCMP detachment to the region and allowing Coastal GasLink workers access to their worksites, while protecting the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈nB次元官网网址檚 right to protest.
It also allows a UnistB次元官网网址檕tB次元官网网址檈n healing camp to remain in place and for WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n hereditary chiefs to provide B次元官网网址渃ultural awareness trainingB次元官网网址� to officers.
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