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Ta'Kaiya, front, and Sii-am Hamilton, holding a sign, are seen standing with Indigenous youth demonstrating support for the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs in northwest B.C. opposing the LNG pipeline project, in front of the B.C. legislature in Victoria on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020.Dirk Meissner/The Canadian Press
Chanting Indigenous youth gathered at the British Columbia legislature in support of hereditary Wet’suwet’en chiefs who oppose a liquefied natural gas pipeline project running through their traditional territories.
The protest comes two days after Indigenous youth occupied a B.C. Government Energy and Mines Ministry office that ended when Victoria police arrested 13 people.
Eighteen-year-old Ta’Kaiya Blaney says she was arrested by police at the ministry protest but has yet to be charged.
She says Indigenous youth back the hereditary chiefs who are protecting lands that will ensure the survival of their people.
About 100 people attended the legislature protest urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan to respect Wet’suwet’en laws.
Mr. Horgan has said the 670-kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline project has the approval of the courts, the province and elected Indigenous governments along the route and it will be built.