Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The direct action to protect what some call the last intact old growth ecosystem in southern Vancouver Island, at Fairy Creek, began 420 days ago. Now the RCMP have left and a couple of Truth and Reconciliation Day messages have been sent from Fairy Creek:
- Gillian Ashley-Martz’s essay “Red Dresses and Clear Cuts”which will be broadcast on CKTZ’s "End of the Road Show" at 3 PM today.
- Pacheedat Elder Bill Jones talks about the Indian Act within the context of truth and reconciliation.
The most recent RCMP press release, from the Lake Cowichan detachment, was posted on Monday September 27th. It starts out by saying, “Police enforcement of the BC Supreme Court injunction order in the Fairy Creek Watershed area continued ….” and mentions 1,101 arrests.
It has been three days since Justice Douglas Thompson denied Teal Jones request to extend the injunction at Fairy Creek , stating, ”It goes without saying that unlawful measures imposed by those given authority to enforce the Court’s order does no credit to the rule of law or the Court’s reputation, especially when those measures trench on civil liberties in a substantial way.”
One of the new images on the Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook page shows three RCMP officers dismantling their camp, while a group of land defenders watch from behind a barrier.
Most of the pictures are jubilant. People are embracing. They pose for a group photo. Some carry a large red banner that says, “RCMP the world is watching you.” There is also a sign proclaiming “Tree Protection Area Keep Out.”
Photo credit: A defender stands at the site of Red Dress, a memorial that honours Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children- Photo courtesy Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook page
