Three people were arrested today by the RCMP for breaching a civil injunction by refusing to the leave the CP Rail tracks, near Chase on Neskonlith Band Lands.

RCMP say they were called to help CP Police after at least two dozen protesters reestablished a blockade on the tracks near Chase last night, in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary chiefs in their fight against the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

“Earlier today, CP Rail attended the blockade to enforce their court-ordered injunction,” said RCMP Southeast District Spokesperson Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey. “The RCMP were requested to assist.”

Spokesperson for the protesters, Anushka Azadi took to social media to say they’re fighting for Indigenous title and rights.

“And so we are not happy to have to do this kind of work. We are not happy. We are very very sad and very grief stricken right now that our Chief is arrested, that our Chief’s daughter has been arrested, that our Okanagan brother has been arrested,”she said. “We’re in grieving right now.”

Meanwhile, O’Donaghey says the three people who were arrested were taken to the Chase RCMP Detachment for processing.

“The remainder of the group of protesters removed their belongings from the tracks,” he noted. “We would like to remind the public that any attempts to block rail tracks is extremely dangerous and unlawful.”

“Should they put themselves in harm’s way, protesters are not only putting their own lives at risk, they are also putting the lives of train operators, rail employees, responding police officers and members of the public at risk.”

O’Donaghey says RCMP and CP Rail Police officers, as well as the RCMP Division Liaison Team, were all on site.

(Photo via Anushka Azadi on facebook)