MEDIA ADVISORY OF PRESS CONFERENCE: Official Complaints Filed Regarding the Victoria Police Department’s Conduct toward Indigenous Youth Demonstrating their Support for Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Leadership
January 28, 2020
For Immediate Release
WHAT: Indigenous youth who were arrested last week for peacefully occupying the Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Petroleum Resources in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en will host a press conference condemning police and RCMP conduct toward Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this occupation was to amplify the demands of the Wet'suwet'en hereditary leadership for the RCMP to stand down and remove their blockade on the Wet'suwet'en yintahs and for Premier Horgan to meet directly with hereditary leaders. Instead, a contingent of over thirty officers from the Victoria and Saanich Police forcibly removed each youth and a Ma’amtagila elder between the hours of 2:00-6:00 a.m. PST. Premier Horgan has not yet agreed to meet with hereditary leadership.
WHERE: UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA, Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories - Student Union Building, Upper Lounge, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2
WHEN: Wednesday January 29th, 9:00 a.m. PST
SPEAKERS TO INCLUDE:
- Ta’Kaiya Blaney, Tla’amin
- Kolin Sutherland-Wilson, Gitxsan
- Shay Lynn Sampson, Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan
- Alexia Manchon, legal observer
- Chief Don Tom, Tsartlip First Nation, Vice-President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs
Livestream: Indigenous Climate Action, https://www.facebook.com/indigenousclimateaction/