The BC Civil Liberties Association says it is filing legal complaints over the exclusion of Wet’suwet’en people and others from their territory by RCMP.
RCMP set up a checkpoint this week along the Morice West Forest Service Road to control access into Wet’suwet’en territory.
While a media release from the force says that Hereditary and Elected Chiefs, government officials, journalists with accreditation from recognised media outlets, and persons providing food, medicine, or other supplies or services, some people have been denied entrance.
“We are extremely concerned about the use of exclusion zones prohibiting Wet’suwet’en people, the public, and media from accessing Wet’suwet’en territories. The Wet’suwet’en assert continuous jurisdiction and unextinguished rights and land title, and the Charter protects liberty, mobility, freedom of the press, and the right not to be arbitrarily detained,” states Harsha Walia, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association in a news release.
The BCCLA is filing legal complaints to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commistion for the RCMP on behalf of Delee Alexis Nikal and Cody Thomas Merriman (Wedlidi) after it says they were denied access by RCMP while brining food and emergency supplies into the territory.
The BCCLA, BCGEU, and Union of BC Indian Chiefs will be holding a news conference regarding the RCMP checkpoint Wednesday, January 15.
