Canada: All Eyes on Unist'ot'en (Update + Images)

Live stream footage of the invasion here

3:51 pm – 6 pickup trucks and graders came across the bridge, leaving now. Cops visible in the beds of canopy trucks. Snowmobiles out.

3:47 pm – Chainsaws heard up the hill from the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre for about 20 minutes.

3:37 pm – 6 RCMP officers crossing the bridge, including Picola.

3:24 pm – Police are obscuring their faces with scarves, balaclava, and sunglasses.

3:22 pm – Legal Observers report the bulldozers were given instructions to plow uphill, create a pullout, and come back down. 3 RCMP conferring with GCL workers outside guard shack, gesturing at back door.

3:16 pm – 2 bulldozers coming across bridge.

3:03 pm – Coastal GasLink workers destroying red dresses on bridge symbolizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Estimated 6 CGL workers cross bridge, disassemble snowmen depicting RCMP and CGL workers kissing. RCMP standing by observing.

2:57 pm – Tactical teams heard staging in the woods surrounding the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre.

2:53 pm – RCMP and Coastal GasLink workers begin removing red dresses symbolizing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women from bridge.

2:44 pm – All arrestees from Feb 6, 7, and 8th are free! They are headed to take showers and eat in Smithers.

2:40 pm – Contact re-established with on-site media team and LOs. RCMP have corralled and ID’ed all of them. They have secured the guard shack and surrounded it with tape. RCMP will likely cut and/or control wifi at 66km soon.

2:33 pm – RCMP drone flying overhead above Healing Centre.

1:55 pm – 2:32 pm [onsite comms down, unresponsive]

1:54 pm – RCMP telling media and Legal Observers they will be arrested now if they fail to show ID.

1:51 pm – RCMP asking media and Legal Observers to take things out of bridge building and take them to Healing Centre. Reasoning unclear.

1:44 pm – RCMP officers have breached bridge building, we have temporarily lost comms with inside media. This bridge building was not part of the injunction zone, and is where media were told they could be.

1:41 pm – Legal Observer: “They (RCMP) appear to be kettling us.”

1:39 pm – 2 RCMP officers approaching structure where media reporting from, corralling.

1:36 pm – Dr. Karla Tait, Director of Programming at the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre, is in custody and being taken into a police vehicle.

1:32 pm – First arrestee being placed into police van, license plate MP3975.

1:29 pm – Commander who authorized lethal overwatch at Gidimt’en last year is on the scene consulting officers.

1:23 pm – New police van has pulled up. License plate MP3975. Details emerging.

1:18 pm – Lady Chainsaw, Brenda Michell, and Freda Huson have been taken into custody in the police van.

12:38 pm – Brenda Michell being escorted to police truck now.

12:31 pm – Arrestees not yet in police vehicle. RCMP trying to offer Freda option to accept injunction to avoid arrest.

12:15 pm – Police van from Prince George has arrived, license Cd5182. Call number on the side is PG1111.

12:13 PM – Pickup with canopy is backing over sacred fire. License number Nr7393. Media corral in effect.

12:09 pm – RCMP cuffing arrestees with zipties, have told media they will be arrested.

12:01 pm – Unist’ot’en matriarchs and indigenous supporters in custody including Freda Huson are drumming, dancing, and singing. Sacred fire being extinguished by CGL workers.

11:57 am – RCMP Commander approaching folks in custody. Officers are putting out the sacred ceremonial fire. All Legal Observers and media being moved away from arrestees.

11:56 am – RCMP tactical team staged on other side of the river with nets.

11:54 am – Arrested matriarchs only have one journalist and two Legal Observers with them. RCMP have blocked all other media from their vicinity.

11:34 am – Spirit fire outside Healing Centre still burning. Occupants can’t leave the building, unsure how long it will last.

11:26 am – Excavator on the bridge.

11:17 am – RCMP officers have begun removing red dresses. They are telling us the guard house now falls within the injunction. Unist’ot’en matriarchs in custody calling on ancestors to stand with them.

11:07 am – Gates dismantled by RCMP. Confirmed 7 arrests. Genocide ongoing.

11:05 am – 7th arrest, “Lady Chainsaw” – Arresting officer McNeil.

11:03 am – Officer McKay attempting to read Freda her rights. She is singing over him.

11:01 am – RCMP dismantling gate on the bridge. 6 arrests, including Freda Huson.

10:58 am – Freda Huson arrested. Arresting officers Erefnan and McKay.

10:53 am – Unist’ot’en matriarch Brenda has been arrested. RCMP chainsawing gate. Arresting officers: Tanguy and McKay

10:42 am – Unist’ot’en matriarchs continue to sing and drum. One more arrest, 4 total.

10:41 am – RCMP using K9 units on unarmed indigenous women. 3 arrests total so far.

10:37 am – Dr. Karla Tait’s arresting officers: Erefnan and Paiman.

10:34 am – Unist’ot’en Dr. Karla Tait arrested

10:34 am – Arresting officers named: GC Tangay, Hert, Mn McKay, SD McNeil

10:31 am – RCMP bringing in K9 units towards matriarchs in ceremony

10:29 am – 2 total arrested.

10:27 am – One arrested.

10:24 – RCMP pointing at young indigenous woman with walkie talkie at the bridge. Appear to be targeting.

10:22 am – 9 officers, tactical team moving in

10:17 am – Officer in military fatigues approaching gate

10:15 am – RCMP overheard, going to send another tactical team shortly.

10:13 am – Ceremony continues. RCMP continue to carry supplies into the bush on other side of river.

9:55 am – Legal observers heard RCMP planning on running dogs towards gate

9:51 – RCMP Officer appears to have tripped over one of the red dresses.

9:48 am – reports that Transport Canada is not aware of any airspace restriction.

9:45 am – DLT interrupting ceremony to try and talk to Freda. Masked cops with sunglasses, filming. Low flying helicopter.

9:44 – Unist’ot’en Facebook account livestreaming raid now.

9:38 am – 11 tactical at end of driveway of Healing Centre, 7 on hill. 2 canine units. DLTs hovering around ceremonial bell structure filming.

9:32 am – Several assault rifles spotted pointed at Healing Centre. K9 units. Sounds cannons. Handguns.

9:28 am – RCMP have at least 1 dog with them

9:25 am – Police on other side of river has several unknown objects. One is flat and green. 2 snowmobiles down the hill, DLT in front and 10 other tactical. Cops approaching matriarchs.

9:24 am – Approximately 10 RCMP walking down from top of hill on Unist’ot’en side of territory. Cops reading injunction again.

9:22 am – RCMP now descending hill. Multiple cops on other side of river, downstream, across from the cabin.

9:17 am – 4th helicopter landed and took off at top of hill. 3 RCMP total at the top of hill. 2 north side, 1 south.

9:14 – Total 3 black helicopters at the top of hill

9:13 am – RCMP approaching water in snowshoes, assessing bridge, using binoculars. Another helicopter dropped down and went back up.

9:11 am – More RCMP officers crouching behind snowbank, hiding from view. 2 high visibility and one in red plaid. 2 helicopter dropoffs at the top of the hill so far.

9:09 am – Ravens flying above the officers. They are Oyate, Karla Tait’s daughter, in spirit form. She told us they would be with us. She is 5 years old Unist’ot’en.

9:08 am – Black helicopter landed on top of hill behind Unist’ot’en Healing Centre, then took off again.

9:05 am – RCMP filming, also one woman and one man who may be press filming with RCMP. One officer with yellow stripe on hat.

9:04 am – Helicopter hovering above the Healing Centre.

9:03 am – Unist’ot’en matriarchs are singing the Womens Warrior Song.

9:02 am – 2 RCMP officers heading into bush on downstream side of bridge wearing snowshoes and carrying a spineboard.

8:59 am – RCMP setting up large device on top of truck, appears to be some kind of telescope object on a tripod with plastic wrapping and a viewfinder.

8:52 am: RCMP are climbing the snow towards gate entrance, telling all present they will be arrested and face civil or criminal contempt. Matriarchs are calling the ancestors. There are only women here besides one male media and one male indigenous supporter.

8:51 am – RCMP using sound cannon. Pulling out more heavy equipment.

8:49 am – Helicopter coming in. Civil injunction from CGL/TC Energy being read. RCMP getting into snowshoes.

8:47 am – RCMP tactical team approaching gate. 1 in army fatigues carrying equipment. One in back, in woods. Chopper overhead. 2 snowmobiles behind. Repeating no drones message on loudspeaker.

8:44 am – RCMP tactical team amassing at end of bridge. Including Rob Picola (who approved lethal overwatch). Industry accompanying them to the gates. 7 officers, 2 in yellow vests behind them.

8:40 am – RCMP on megaphone at #Unistoten bridge: “This is the RCMP. This airspace is now restricted. Do not operate any drone in this area. This restriction is approved by transport Canada.” Freda Huson: “This is not Canada! You are invaders! LEAVE!”

8:39 am – RCMP officers climbing snowbank

8:35 am – RCMP approaching bridge at 66km. 3 SUVs, one large van, line of trucks behind. Matriarchs are drumming and singing on the bridge, walking through the red dresses of their stolen sisters.

8:22 am: Unist’ot’en matriarchs drumming on bridge, and making offering to the ancestors in the river Wedzin Kwa, as RCMP convoy advances.