Dozens of rallies scheduled in support of arrested pipeline protesters

A blockade set up to deny road access to the LNG-pipeline near Houston, B.C. resulted in the arrest of 14 protestors on Monday.

Members of the Gidimt’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation had set up a camp and the blockade to control public access to a pipeline project across their territory.

According to a statement from RCMP, officers and hereditary chiefs were unable to reach a resolution about the blockades removing, which resulted in a court imposed injunction giving the protestors 72 hours to remove the obstructions.

The $40-billion, 670 kilometre, pipeline was approved by the B.C. government last October and is expected to connect gas producers in the Dawson Creek area with the Kitimat export plant.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month, however, protestors argue that the local Wet’suwet’en house chiefs, who are hereditary rather than elected band officials, have not given consent.

Upon arrival on Monday, Mounties say a number of fires were lit along the roadway blocking access to the protesters camp and denied reports from media outlets saying they lost communication with their on scene reporters.

On Tuesday, dozens of rallies were held across B.C. and Canada in response to the arrests.

Something symbolic about the Police in the middle of this photo standing above the protesters and between us and Parliament #WetsuwetenStrong #wetsuweten pic.twitter.com/YvC2AFqfKo

— Dexter Docherty (@Dexterdocherty) January 8, 2019

Round dance in front of US embassy #ottawa #Wetsuweten pic.twitter.com/gI7m2BTaIJ

— Jorge Barrera (@JorgeBarrera) January 8, 2019

Solidarity with #Unistoten #Wetsuweten from Richibucto NB pic.twitter.com/lReSJLOQE1

— angel moore (@angelharksen) January 8, 2019

With files from The Canadian Press