A protest took place in Pembroke today in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. Since they’re not able to support them out in British Columbia, a handful of residents gathered along Mary Street in Pembroke to show their support. Co-organizer of the protest, Blaze Commanda, says Indigenous people are being arrested on their own land in northern B.C. for standing up against a proposed pipeline.
Commanda says the rally today was organized last minute, but they’re happy with the support they’ve received. She adds members from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory have also disrupted rail service between Toronto and Montreal as a part of the protests. Commanda says with Pikwakanagan under an hour away from Pembroke, they fear they could go through something similar any day.
She encourages everyone to stand up for First Nations communities. Commanda adds there’s currently so much distrust from Indigenous people towards the Canadian government.