Search Results for: #ShutDownCanada

Statement from (former!) Toronto Defendants on the ongoing #ShutDownCanada Repression

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From Blockade Defense

Over a year has passed since the initial wave of #ShutDownCanada actions. This wave included protests, blockades, occupations, and disruptions held in support of Wet’suwet’en land defenders, actions which garnered a broad amount of coverage and public support.

We the undersigned were amongst the dozen or so arrested on February 26, 2020, at a #ShutDownCanada blockade staged in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en and the arrestees at the Tyendinaga Mohawk territory. Months later, our charges were withdrawn without us having to offer any concessions to the state, which we believe is a tacit acknowledgement that those charges were groundless to begin with. We were amongst 150 others arrested at different actions during this period.

There remains over 60 land defenders and supporters across several provinces facing criminal charges for their participation in the 2020 blockades. Historically, criminal charges have always been doled out more punitively against Indigenous defendants by the racist, settler-colonial state. This includes twenty-eight defendants from Tyendinaga being charged after they faced a violent raid from the OPP. This also includes six defendants from Hamilton being charged for their participation at a rail blockade very similar to the one we were arrested at. That their court cases are ongoing and ours are resolved only speaks to how arbitrary and punitive this legal system is. It is a system designed to criminalize and suppress any form of opposition towards its regime of colonialism and extractive capital.

In the time since winter 2020 and now, media and public attention has understandably drifted away from these events and their participants, but violence, harassment, displacement, surveillance and suppression continue to be carried out by the Ontario Provisional Police, the RCMP and the legal system. It is imperative that we not look away. We urge supporters to offer solidarity and material support to those defending themselves in court cases against this oppressive legal system, and all those fighting the colonial state.

In solidarity,

A dozen former blockade defendants

Blockade Defense: Website launched to support #ShutDownCanada defendants

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New website project compiling information and solidarity initiatives related to the ongoing charges from the Shut Down Canada blockades from winter 2020.

https://dropthecharges.ca

There are currently at least sixty people still facing serious criminal charges from the 2019 and 2020 raids on Wet’suwet’en territory and the solidarity movement known as Shut Down Canada. Dealing with criminal charges is often an isolating and scary experience, especially when the legal system intentionally tries to make people feel alone and powerless. We think a support campaign is the best way we can fight back against these forces and show the state that we will not allow our friends and comrades to be criminalized. If we can support one another now, then we can support one another in all the struggles to come.

More than avoiding repression, what matters is how we deal with it. We need to always be finding ways to show those targeted they are not alone — this makes it easier for them to get through it with strength and integrity. As people move through the justice system, displays of solidarity and practical support make a real difference in the outcome. We need to show that those who are brave and take risks will be supported if we want to be brave together again in the future and see our movements grow.

We want to provide a space where defendants can write about their experiences with repression and criminalization, statements of solidarity, and updates about the charges, which will be posted on our Updates section.

We want to help defendants to fund raise for their legal battles, where we provide links to different defendants and communities’ GoFundMe pages.

We want to help defendants feel more supported in the incredibly isolating process of state criminalization, and are offering a PO box where letters of support, postcards, and zines can be sent, which we we then forward to defendants.

And, finally, we want to create an email campaign to pressure for charges to be dropped or for prominent figures to publicly support charges being dropped. We have created a basic sample template for a (polite) email, and a list of talking points that defendants have given us, and compiled a list of emails for it to be sent to.

Please share this campaign on your various data-mining surveillance platforms and use the hashtag #BlockadeDefense

Wet’suwet’en territory: #ShutDownCanada Anti-Repression Posters Up

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Anonymous submission to North Shore. Posters and details of the charges here

A few shots taken a week or two after an experimental exercise in the quaint little picturesque mountain town of Smithers (glad to see most of the posters stayed up!). This little hamlet/colony happens to be located in one of two yintah’s (territories) of the Cas Yikh (Grizzly Bear) – part of the Gidumten Clan of the Wetsuweten – the other Cas Yikh yintah is where the Gidumt’en Checkpoint kicked of the “shutdowncanada” movement with two years of winter blockades.

A very small gesture among gestures. Its super easy way to express a little bit of solidarity with those facing repression from the state for their brave efforts resisting industrial expansion and indigenous genocide. For wheat paste just throw some boiling water into a bucket and whisk in some flour (maybe a little sugar for good measure), grab a brush and you’re good to go. A great excuse to go for a nice stroll with a hot beverage of your choice; have a laugh with a friend or a few (perhaps explore affinities and/or hatch some plans for further action).

After a Winter of Blockades: Updates on criminal charges from #ShutDownCanada (en/fr)

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Le français suit l’anglais

After a Winter of Blockades: Updates on criminal charges from #ShutDownCanada

8.5 x 11 pdf poster file for printing or sharing!

It’s been almost a year since the wave of blockades in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders known as Shut Down Canada. Since then, there has been no shortage of urgent issues, and public attention has moved on. However, for both those on the front lines and those still facing charges,  moving on has not been an option.

There are currently at least sixty people still facing serious criminal charges from the raids on Wet’suwet’en territory and the solidarity movement. These actions involved thousands of people in every province of the country, and it’s impossible to describe them briefly, but here are a few aspects:

In January 2020, solidarity actions began as the RCMP prepared their latest offensive against the decade-long reclamation of Wet’suwet’en territory. When the raid started in earnest in early February, Mohawks at Tyendinaga launched a rail blockade shutting down traffic between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Rail disruption immediately became the preferred tactic for the movement and in the coming weeks, long-term, Indigenous-led blockades occurred as well in Kahnawake, Listuguj, Six Nations and New Hazelton. Shorter (and sometimes repeat) blockades happened in Halifax, Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver, Magnetewan, Coquitlam, Hamilton, Morris, Saint-Pascal, Edmonton, Saint-Lambert, Kamloops, Saskatoon, Elsipogtog, Saguenay, and across the border in Washington state. Demonstrations and road blockades occurred in many places as well.

From that massive mobilization, twenty-eight people from Tyendinaga Mohawk territory are still fighting charges, following the OPP’s attack on their community. The next largest group of defendants is from a blockade outside of Sherbrooke, Quebec, where some fifteen people are waiting for trial. In Hamilton, Ontario, six people are each facing four counts of indictable mischief for a 24 hour rail blockade. In the Bas-Saint-Laurent, one person stil has charges from a rail disruption and two people in Montreal have mischief charges for alleged graffiti.

During the previous winter, in January 2019, there was also a violent RCMP raid on Wet’suwet’en territory. Although the solidarity mobilization was smaller, it still saw significant demos, occupations, and blockades across the country, and these too were met with repression.

Two people who were present at the blockades on Wet’suwet’en territory during the 2019 raid still have assault police charges. In Hamilton, one person is charged for alleged vandalism at an RCMP detachment. In Montreal, six people are still dealing with charges connected to the blockade of the Jacques Cartier bridge.

Nearly a hundred and fifty people were arrested during these two years of struggle. Many were released without charge, others simply got tickets. Some of the criminal charges laid have resolved. For instance this fall, twelve people charged from a rail blockade in Toronto saw their charges withdrawn, two in Vancouver received discharges, and all charges were dropped against those arrested on Wet’suwet’en territory during the raid last February (though the RCMP report their investigation is ongoing).

That more charges are resolving is certainly good news, however we also need to be cautious. The legal system drops charges against some in order to isolate and delegtimize others. Even as we celebrate, we need to remember that it’s likely some of those still charged will end up in prison for moments of struggle we all shared.

Everyone does not face the legal system on an equal footing. It is deeply racist and colonial, and Indigenous defendants are more likely to be found guilty and to receive harsher sentences. As well, those with criminal records, especially ones stemming from their political involvement, will also receive worse treatment and are more likely to do prison time.

The movement last winter was incredibly powerful, and the struggle isn’t over. On Wet’suwet’en territory, work on the pipeline hasn’t stopped for the pandemic, and land defenders on the front lines haven’t stopped resisting. This is true for many other Indigenous peoples across Canada — from Mi’kma’ki to Six Nations to Secwempec territory, this has been a landmark year for Indigenous resistance and assertions of sovereignty. These currents will continue overlapping with resistance to industrial expansion, creating new possibilities and sites of resistance. Nothing stopped, and there will be other times when we will need to shut down Canada again.

All successful movements face repression and have prisoners. More than avoiding repression, what matters is how we deal with it. We need to always be finding ways to show those targeted they are not alone — this makes it easier for them to get through it with strength and integrity. As people move through the justice system, displays of solidarity and practical support make a real difference in the outcome. We need to show that those who are brave and take risks will be supported if we want to be brave together again in the future and see our movements grow.

We will continue sharing updates on North Shore Counter-Info with details about the changing legal situation, and will also amplify fundraising efforts and specific asks from defendants for solidarity or support. On North Shore, they will be under the tag “Blockade Defense” (north-shore.info/tag/blockade-defense) and on Twitter under the hashtag #BlockadeDefense.
 
If we are forgetting anyone or you have any comments, get in touch in English or French at blockadedefense@riseup.net. The pgp key is available at keys.openpgp.org.

Après un hiver de blocages : Le point sur les accusations criminelles en lien avec #ShutDownCanada

Poster en format PDF 8.5 x 11 à imprimer et à partager

Presque un an est passé depuis la vague de blocages en solidarité avec les défenseurs de la terre wet’suwet’en. Par la suite, de nombreuses questions urgentes ont fait que l’attention du public est passé à autre chose. Toutefois, pour celleux en première ligne aussi bien que pour celleux avec des accusations en justice, il n’y a aucune possibilité de passer à autre chose.

En ce moment, au moins soixante personnes font encore face à de graves accusations criminelles en lien avec les descentes policières dans le territoire wet’suwet’en ainsi qu’avec le mouvement de solidarité. Ces actions ont impliqué des milliers de personnes dans toutes les provinces du pays, aussi il est impossible d’en faire rapidement le portrait, mais voici quelques aspects :

En janvier 2020, tandis que la GRC préparait leur nouvelle offensive contre la réoccupation du territoire wet’suwet’en qui dure depuis plus d’une décennie, les actions solidaires ont commencé. Quand les flics sont descendus pour de vrai dans les premiers jours de février, les Mohawks de Tyendinaga ont lancé un blocage ferroviaire qui a paralysé la circulation entre Toronto, Ottawa et Montréal. Perturber la circulation ferroviaire est vite devenue la tactique privilégiée du mouvement et les prochaines semaines ont vu des blocages à long terme menés par des communautés autochtones à Kahnawake, Listuguj, Six Nations et New Hazelton. Des blocages de moindre durée ont eu lieu (souvent à répétition) à Halifax, Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver, Magnetewan, Coquitlam, Hamilton, Morris, Saint-Pascal, Edmonton, Saint-Lambert, Kamloops, Saskatoon, Elsipogtog, Saguenay et de l’autre côté de la frontière dans l’État du Washington. Il y a également eu des manifestations et des blocages routiers en de nombreux endroits.

À l’issue de cette mobilisation massive, vingt-huit personnes du territoire Mohawk de Tyendinaga se battent contre des accusations suite à l’attaque du PPO sur leur communauté. Le deuxième groupe en importance c’est les quinze personnes accusées qui attendent leur procès en rapport avec un blocage près de Sherbrooke, Québec. À Hamilton en Ontario, six personnes font face chacune à quatre chefs d’accusations de méfait pour un blocage ferroviaire de vingt-quatre heures. Dans le Bas-Saint-Laurent, une personne est encore inculpée après une perturbation ferroviaire et à Montréal il y a deux personnes accusées de méfait pour des graffitis.

L’hiver précédent, en janvier 2019, il y a également eu un raid sur le territoire wet’suwet’en par la GRC. La mobilisation en solidarité était à échelle plus modeste, mais il y a eu des manifs, des occupations et des blocages importants un peu partout dans le pays, qui ont également vu de la répression.

Deux personnes présentes aux barricades sur le territoire wet’suwet’en lors du raid sont encore accusées de voie de fait sur la police. À Hamilton, une personne est inculpée pour des dégradations d’un poste de la GRC. À Montréal, six personnes se battent encore contre des accusations de méfait en lien avec le blocage du pont Jacques Cartier.

Il y a eu presque cent-cinquante arrestations durant ces deux années de lutte. Beaucoup ont eu pour résultat des remises en liberté sans inculpation. D’autres des amendes. Certaines des poursuites criminelles se sont déjà résolues. Par exemple, en automne 2020, le procureur a retiré les accusations contre douze personnes en relation avec un blocage ferroviaire à Toronto et deux autres à Vancouver ont eu des absolutions. En outre, toutes les charges contres les personnes présentes sur le territoire au moment du raid de février dernier ont été abandonnées (mais la GRC a laissé savoir que leur enquête se poursuit).

On ne peut que se réjouir que de plus en plus d’affaires se résolvent, mais il faut tout de même rester prudent. Le système judiciaire abandonne les accusations contre certaines personnes à fin d’isoler et de délégitimer d’autres. Il ne faut pas oublier que certain·e·s inculpé·e·s ont de fortes chances de finir en prison pour des moments de lutte auxquels nous avons toutes et tous participé·e·s.

Tout le monde ne fait pas face au système judiciaire sur un pas d’égalité. C’est un système profondément raciste et colonial, ce qui fait que les accusés autochtones ont plus de chances de se voir condamnés et de se voir imposer des peines lourdes. De même, les personnes avec des casiers judiciaires, surtout avec des condamnations en lien avec leur implication militante, risquent d’être traitées de façon autrement plus sévère et de finir en prison.

Le mouvement de l’hiver dernier était d’une puissance incroyable et la lutte n’est pas terminée. Sur le territoire wet’suwet’en, les travaux sur le pipeline continuent malgré la pandémie, tout comme la résistance des défenseurs de la terre en première ligne. C’est la même histoire chez d’autres peuples autochtones partout au Canada – de Mi’kma’ki au territoire Secwempec en passant par Six Nations, c’était une année charnière pour la résistance autochtone et les affirmations de souveraineté. Ces courants continueront de s’entremêler avec la résistance face à l’expansion industrielle, ce qui créera encore de nouvelles possibilités et des sites de résistance. Rien n’est arrêté et dans le futur nous aurons besoin de bloquer le Canada de nouveau.

Tout mouvement qui connaît du succès subira de la répression et aura des prisonniers. Ce qui est plus important que d’éviter la répression c’est la manière dont on y fait face. Nous devons toujours trouver des moyens de montrer aux personnes ciblées qu’elles ne sont pas seules, pour qu’elles puissent en venir à bout en se sentant fortes et en restant intègres. Des démonstrations de solidarité tout comme le soutien pratique font une immense différence quand les gens ont affaire à la justice. Il faut que les personnes courageuses qui prennent des risques aient de l’appui si nous voulons être courageux et courageuses ensemble encore et voir nos mouvements croître.

Nous continuerons de poster des mises à jour sur North Shore Counter-Info sur les affaires en cours et nous amplifierons les collectes de fonds et les appels au soutien concret ou à la solidarité de la part des accusé·e·s. Les mises à jour seront regroupées sous le tag « Blockade Defense » sur North Shore (north-shore.info/tag/blockade-defense) et sur Twitter sous le hashtag #BlockadeDefense.

Avons-nous oublié quelqu’un ou avez-vous des commentaires ? Contactez-nous en anglais ou en français à blockadedefense@riseup.net. La clé pgp est sur keys.openpgp.org.

Flyers for distribution #shutdowncanada

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Anonymous submission to North Shore
These flyers were produced with the intention to disrupt the liberal narratives surrounding the Wet’suwet’en struggle, and the activism we have seen emerge as a result of the most recent waves of state violence. Simultaneously we are inspired by the actions of many of our comrades, especially the Mohawk blockades and those engaged in militant demos and sabotage. We hope these flyers continue to feed the fire of insurrection.
Decolonization Means No State (Single) (Four per page)
Reconciliation is Dead (Single) (Four per page)
Strike Back for the Climate (Four per page)
Why Wear a Mask (Double sided, four per page)
Reconciliation is Dead, and Decolonization Means no State were heavily inspired by tawinikay’s (aka Southern Wind Woman) work – much of the words appearing on them are tawinikay’s directly. Her work provides a critical and revolutionary stance on current struggles to shut down so called canada – we are very grateful for this work. As anarchists working to refine our perspective and practice, tawinikay’s critical intervention with the struggle and Indigenous solidarity work many of us engage in demands our engagement.
Against the state and capital
For a growing militant movement
Links to tawinikay’s work

Kingston: Report from #ShutDownCanada Action

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Anonymous Submission to North Shore Counter-Info

In response to the ongoing raid on Wet’suwet’en territory, more than 100 people gathered yesterday in a downtown park. After a couple of speeches the crowd piled onto two packed schoolbuses and a few extra cars and headed to the train tracks. The original plan was to shut down the rails, but Mohawks at Tyendinaga have held the line closed since Thursday despite being served an injunction from CN Rail. As the action got nearer, we decided to proceed whether or not the lines were still closed, to show our solidarity with everyone shutting down critical infrastructure across Canada.

We marched from the train station to a rail crossing and occupied both the tracks and the road for about 90 minutes. Some safety precautions that we prepared included bringing air horns to use as a warning signal to leave the tracks, and calling the CN emergency line from an anonymous prepaid cellphone to notify them that people were on the tracks. There were drums, speeches, a barrel fire and some kids had a snowball fight on the train tracks. Some people chanted things like “when justice fails, block the rails,” “Wet’suwet’en, we got your back! Close the roads and block the tracks!” and “No more pipelines.” Others led songs and drummed. Folks with banners surrounded us on both sides to control the road. We had wanted to flyer the oncoming cars, but the police chose to close the road entirely and redirect traffic away from us. A few people flyered cars behind the police lines while the rest of us rallied on the tracks.

We had promised folks we’d get them back by 4:30 so at around 4:15 we marched off, chanting, back to our buses. The mood was super positive and determined and everyone made it home safely.

Kingston is a smaller city and it’s unusual for so many people to come together for any kind of demonstration, let alone crowd onto buses to take part in a somewhat risky action together. We know that this is a reflection of how activated, outraged and inspired people feel by Wet’suwet’en people defending their land against Coastal Gas Link’s pipeline and by Tyendinaga Mohawks standing in solidarity with them on their own territory. We hope that today’s action can also be a sign of more things to come in Kingston. People came out in numbers and showed a lot of bravery. We hope that we can come together like this again and again and try more and more new things. More specifically, we see this as a reaffirmation that whenever land defenders are attacked, people across the country, including here in Kingston, will strike back, target the economy, and refuse to allow business as usual to continue. Shut Down Canada!

#ShutDownCanada: Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Actions Continue Into Weekend

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Following RCMP raids on Wet’suwet’en Territory this week, indigenous people, land defenders and accomplices have been taking up the call to Shut Down Canada with ongoing actions across the country targeting urban centres, highways, ports and railways. Here is an update on some actions across southern Ontario thus far and some notes on what’s to come. Something incomplete or missing? Send us a reportback!

TYENDINAGA
Starting Thursday afternoon a group from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has been blocking a rail crossing on Canada’s busiest rail corridor. At first there was a deal to allow stranded passenger trains to pass through but Via/CN double-crossed them by tagging on freight traffic, leading to the complete closure of the tracks to all passenger and freight traffic. They say they will block trains “until the RCMP withdraws from Wet’suwet’en Territory.” This action is ongoing – check out Real People’s Media on Facebook for updates.

HIGHWAY 403
“On Feb 6th a group of supporters led by Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Metis women and two-spirits blocked Hwy 403 outside of Hamilton & Six Nations, in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders.” There is also a short video from SubMedia.

AKWESASNE
Mohawks from Akwesasne marched across the Seaway International Bridge on Friday, closing it to traffic for about an hour.

TORONTO
A solidarity demo organized by Extinction Rebellion disrupted traffic at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets in downtown Toronto on Friday. Rising Tide has called an Emergency Action on Saturday.

OTTAWA
Solidarity demo and round dance on Friday started at Parliament Hill and marched downtown.

PETERBOROUGH: Solidarity demo at MP’s office downtown.

UPCOMING ELSEWHERE

Barrie – Solidarity Demo on Saturday

Kingston – Banner-making Saturday followed by Solidarity Action on Sunday

Waterloo – Solidarity Action on Monday

Across Canada and beyond – check out this FB event for updated calls to action

UPDATES FROM OUT WEST

Unist’ot’en Camp

Gidimten Yintah Access

From Embers: The Public Order Emergency Commission

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By From Embers

LISTEN HERE

Interview with an anti-fascist observer about insights gained from the Public Order Emergency Commission hearings, a public inquiry into the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act to repress the so-called Freedom Convoy in February 2022.

We discuss why governments invoke emergencies, OPP’s Project Hendon, how the Convoy was funded, the relationship between convoy organizers and police, comparisons with #ShutDownCanada, liberal conspiracy theories, the scale of economic disruption during the Convoy, and more.

Links

Public Order Emergency Commission

Our previous episodes on Yellow Vests Canada and the Freedom Convoy

Ill Winds From Ottawa – Crimethinc report on the Freedom Convoy

Anarchist report from Ottawa during the Convoy

Music: Lee Reed

Note: Due to a technical glitch, this episode was removed, edited and re-published after it’s initial release on January 11, 2023.

Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service Charges Dropped Against Land Defender Vanessa Gray

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From Vanessa Gray on Facebook

My name is Vanessa Gray. I am an Anishinaabe Kwe organizer, community researcher, and Land defender from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation.

On November 21st 2021, Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service issued charges against me in connection to an action that was organized in Toronto, in response to the violent raids in Wet’suwet’en territories. This event was attended by hundreds of people. The charges included three counts of mischief, interference with property, causing disturbance, loitering, unlawful assembly, trespassing, and failure to give way.

I turned myself in on December 3rd 2021 and I was released under conditions imposed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service. Today I would like to share that all charges against me have been dropped.

The trauma of wrongfully being arrested does not go away for Indigenous peoples when charges are dropped. Canada is a genocidal nation-state that claims reconciliation while its government uses militant forces against Indigenous people in the name of Canadian economic growth.

Canada continues to wrongfully target and arrest Indigenous community members for showing our solidarity with one another and enacting our responsibilities to protect our land. The criminalization of Indigenous land defenders is a strategy to enforce the colonial law that is fueling war and the climate disaster our present and future generations face. Gary Wassaykeesic still faces charges of trespass and mischief for attending the same event I was charged for.

I am grateful to everyone who has donated to my legal defense fund and to everyone who has supported me through this traumatizing experience.

I urge everyone to continue to support Indigenous frontline communities who experience and stand up against the daily destruction of our homes on our native land. I stand with Wet’suwet’en Matriarchs who continue to face police violence for protecting their unceded territories and the clean drinking water of the Wedzin Kwa. Canada is still forcing projects through their territory and it is Canada’s responsibility to stop and end the brutal police evasion on the Yintah.

Love and Solidarity
Vanessa Gray
#WetsuwetenStrong #shutdowncanada #CGLofftheYintah #AllOutForWedzinKwa

Update on Hamilton Rail Charges

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Anonymous Submission to North Shore Counter-Info

Hamilton, ON
Territory of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas

After an astounding 20 months, the remaining four of us facing charges in Hamilton, ON for a rail blockade in solidarity with Tyendinaga and the Wet’suwet’en in 2020 have finally settled our charges with a non-cooperating plea.

The blockade itself lasted for 24 hours and shut down both CN & CP lines in a strategic bottleneck, stopping all cargo between Ontario and New York state, with no ability for the companies to bypass the stoppage. The action cost CN & CP Rail more than $45,000, and was part of #ShutDownCanada – a wave of solidarity actions that spread throughout Turtle Island and included the blockades of ports, rails, highways, bridges, and more. Nationwide rail blockades alone stranded an estimated $425 million in cargo each day, creating serious delays in ports, as well as delays in mining and agriculture.

(For a summary of those actions and of the charges that resulted, see this post: https://north-shore.info/2021/01/11/after-a-winter-of-blockades-updates-on-criminal-charges-from-shutdowncanada-en- fr/)

Collectively, our actions were described as a potential “catastrophe for the economy.

For our roles in these shutdowns, we each faced four criminal counts: 2 X mischief over $5000 and 2 X mischief under $5000. We pled to just one count of mischief under each. Three of us were able to plea on a conditional discharge with one-year probation, while our fourth accepted a one year probation on a suspended sentence after serving 14 months on a strict pre-trial house arrest. Our decision to plea was not just motivated by punitive and coercive bail conditions, but also our hearts and minds which sought to reduce risk for all coaccused, and find more meaningful and empowered ways of being in struggle than just dealing with repression in the colonial courts.

Early on, we committed to navigating the legal process collectively, sharing resources and making strategic decisions together. Unifying principles and our care for each other made this possible – though not always easy – and we see collective defense as an essential part of the overall struggle against repressive forces.

We believe the only good way through repression is to step and stand together.

We’re happy to say we did just that, and even ended the sentencing proceedings with a few inspired and unrepentant words to the court.

On the Intensity of Repression & Surveillance

From the moment charges were laid, the court – with apparent input from detectives – imposed conditions to limit our use of social media and prevent us offering any kind of support to the Wet’suwet’en, or any other Indigenous group.

We were restricted from attending or organizing most protests – a condition from the Toronto G20 Main Conspiracy case in 2010 that has since become standard in southern Ontario bail proceedings related to “activism”.

One defendant was ejected from the city altogether. Another was put on house arrest following separate charges related to an OPP raid on 1492 Landback Lane. That individual continues to face charges alleging their involvement in actions taken against the RCMP in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en back in 2019. Look for future updates about those charges.

If you missed it, we encourage the reading of a previous North Shore article that provides details around the surveillance of Wet’suwet’en solidarity actions and actors in our area https://north-shore.info/2020/08/20/details-of-police-surveillance-targeting-wetsuweten-solidarity-organizing/, but in short: At least one of the individuals arrested had been under intermittent mobile surveillance in the months leading up to their arrest. This involved 4 to 5 teams of plainclothes officers following that individual for entire days, documenting what they did, and retrieving video footage and receipts from stores they entered. On the same day the arrests for the rail blockade took place, Hamilton Police also sought an application under 492.1(1) – a warrant to apply an electronic tracking device to a vehicle – against one of us. The application was heard and approved before our bail hearings ever took place. A warrant to search that same person’s cellphone using Cellebrite to crack encryption was also granted later in the year as police attempted to make a conspiracy case against us.Despite these extraordinary measures, police were unable to make their case.

We don’t know how extensively Hamilton (or any) police use these methods against activists and anarchists as a whole, but it is clear we need to consistently and proactively keep these things in mind – without letting it stop us. We encourage discussing these new revelations with your crews and taking a minute to brush up on security culture basics https://north-shore.info/2019/11/05/confidence-courage-connection-trust-a-proposal-for-security-culture/

Last Words – for Now

We offer our complete respect and solidarity to the many frontlines throughout Turtle Island right now – from the Haudenosaunee at Landback Lane and Arrowdale, to the Secwepemc protecting their homes; the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht protecting their old growth elders; the Mi’kmaq peoples protecting the Shubenecadie and fighting for sovereign fisheries; and of course with great care – the Wet’suwet’en who continue to take an active stand and face yet another invasion by the RCMP.

Land Back.

P.S. We also learned that each individual rail car sitting on the tracks costs about $32 per day. We think that has the potential to add up pretty quick. What do you think?