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Sto:lo ‘day of action’ to support Wet’suwet’en planned in Chilliwack Friday

Organizers calling on elders, leaders and others to Knight Road at rail crossing at noon Feb. 14
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The location on Knight Road in Chilliwack of a planned protest starting at noon on Feb. 14, 2020 in support of the Wet’suwet’en pipeline protest near Houston, B.C. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)

A local Indigenous protest in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs’ fight against the Coastal GasLink pipeline is planned for Valentine’s Day in Chilliwack.

Dubbed the “Sto:lo Day of Action in Support of Wet’suwet’en,” organizers are inviting all “Sto:lo warriors, elders, leaders, matriarchs, drummers, dancers and singers” to show up at Knight Road and the rail crossing at noon.

Organizers were asked by The Progress if the plan was to shut down the road and/or the rail line, but they had not yet responded by Tuesday afternoon.

That is, however, the likely plan given other similar protests in other communities including Vancouver and as afar away as Ontario all which held the message to protestors to shut down communities.

• READ MORE: Pipeline protesters shut down major Vancouver intersection in support of Wet’suwet’en

• READ MORE: 11 more arrested as RCMP continue to enforce injunction against Wet’suwet’en pipeline opponents

“We want to send a message in support of the Wet’suwa’ten [sic] Chiefs and their efforts to secure their territory against the impending pipeline,” according to a Facebook page dedicated to the protest.

“The organizers called for help from all Nations to shut down their towns to send a message to government – so that is what we are doing! By sending messages of support from our Leadership, prayers, and a collection of $ to send to their legal team - we can say we did what we could in solidarity with them.”

By 4 p.m. on Tuesday more than 130 responded to the Facebook invite that they would be attending.

This wouldn’t be the first time people gathered to support the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs. In January 2019, a small crowd gathered at the courthouse earlier on in the conflict in Wet’suwet’en territory.

And last month there was a screening of the film Invasion at Evergreen Hall as part of an event entitled “All Eyes on Wet’suwet’en.”

• READ MORE: Crowd at Chilliwack courthouse was in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en

• READ MORE: Solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en people Saturday in Chilliwack


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20521614_web1_200211-CPL-Stolo-Protest-Wetsuweten-1_1
The location on Knight Road in Chilliwack of a planned protest starting at noon on Feb. 14, 2020 in support of the Wet’suwet’en pipeline protest near Houston, B.C. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress)
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Location of the Sto:lo day of action in support of the Wet’suwet’en planned in Chilliwack from noon to 4 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2020. (Maps.Chilliwack.com)
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Organizers in Chilliwack are inviting people to come out to protest on Feb. 14, 2020 in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who are fighting an LNG pipeline through their traditional territory near Houston, B.C. (Facebook)