Protesters are expected to disrupt traffic during Monday’s rush hour in Winnipeg as they rally against a pipeline project in northern British Columbia.
The demonstration is set to take place at Portage Avenue and Edmonton Street in front of Portage Place beginning at 5 p.m.
“If we were just to do it on the sidewalk, would they even listen?” protester Bianca Ballantyne said. “It’s like an hour of your day, and how do the people in Wet’suwet’en feel when their homes are being invaded?”
The rally is intended to show support for the Wet’suwet’en Nation, whose members are protesting the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project in northern B.C.
Ballantyne and a group of others have also been occupying Winnipeg MP Dan Vandal’s office since last Tuesday, as they hope to get the minister of northern affairs to commit to their demands, which include condemning the actions of the B.C. RCMP removing Indigenous people from Wet’suwet’en territory.
“RCMP is going into Wet’suwet’en land, which is unceded and unsurrendered territory, which isn’t right, and we want to show our support in any way we can.”
Similar protests are going on across Canada.