Updates from Hamilton Rail Blockade

UPDATE: This blockade is no longer active as of 6pm Feb 25th.

From Wet’suwet’en Strong: Hamilton in Solidarity (Facebook) (posted in the early morning of Feb 25 2020)

It’s a new day, and we started it by burning the injunction delivered by CN rail!

If you wanted to join us last night but couldn’t, today is the day to get down here. We know the spot we’re in has made it tricky, but folks showing up all through the night prove it’s still possible!

And so you know; we’re shutting down an effective junction that handles all rail traffic in and out of Hamiton. For each day we shut it down, it takes them twice that or more to recover!

Remember why we’re out here; the violence the state has perpetrated towards Indigenous land defenders and their supporters, the forced removal and criminalization of indigenous people from their lands. This is a pattern that has existed since settlers came to Turtle Island and that continue to exist today. Settlers ESPECIALLY: It’s time to stop this, and appealing to government, writing letters, holding rallies, and even exhausting legal means has not and is not working, so disruption is what we MUST turn to. And it IS effective, is having very real impact, and has the potential to make change.

We’re not leaving as long as it’s possible to be here. We need you for that!

UPDATES

8:43am – Things are pretty relaxed. Police and media present. The first train went through Tyendinaga this morning. #shutdowncanada

9:10am – we wanted to share our wildlife sightings! A beaver, swans, an osprey, hawks, a bald eagle (!) & heard coyotes yipping. Not bad considering most of our time here has been noght time!!

10:44am – Saw a second bald eagle! We received a donation of homemade hot strawberry pancakes and breakfast sandwiches – come by and eat them! Lots of visitors, so access is very possible. Wishlist: hot drinks (tea, coffee), firewood, warm blankets (that can be lost to police if necessary).