Tag Archives: Douglas Thompson

Communications, Indigenous Nations, Justice

Emails reveal how the RCMP changed its story about arresting journalists in Wet’suwet’en raid

By Matt Simmons, The Narwhal, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Updated May 9, 2022, at 11:10 a.m. PT: This article was updated to clarify that filmmaker Michael Toledano was restrained with handcuffs after being detained by RCMP on Nov. 19, 2021. He was not initially restrained with zip ties. But he told The Narwhal that police added zip ties to reinforce the restraints after a key broke off in the handcuffs.

As police helicopters moved into unceded Wet’suwet’en territory and dropped off armed tactical officers accompanied by police dogs on Nov. 19, 2021, photojournalist Amber Bracken was reporting live updates.

She was inside a tiny house occupied by Indigenous land defenders and their allies.

Continue reading Emails reveal how the RCMP changed its story about arresting journalists in Wet’suwet’en raid →
Forests, Justice

Teal Jones wins court appeal to extend injunction against Fairy Creek old-growth blockade

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Fairy Creek activists have been dealt a blow after a court decision Wednesday upheld a logging company’s bid for an ongoing order to halt contentious old-growth blockades on southern Vancouver Island. 

Continue reading Teal Jones wins court appeal to extend injunction against Fairy Creek old-growth blockade →
Forests, Justice

Seniors arrested as Fairy Creek blockade digs in for winter

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A caravan of seniors wound its way along pitch-black logging roads early Thursday to be in place before first light to block old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek region on southwest Vancouver Island.

A contingent of 30 from across the island and adjacent Gulf Islands arrived at Granite Main Road at 6 a.m. to try to stall the road-building and clear-cutting of the forest giants by Teal-Jones in tree farm licence (TFL) 46 near Port Renfrew.

Continue reading Seniors arrested as Fairy Creek blockade digs in for winter →
Forests, Indigenous Nations, Justice

The RCMP returned to Fairy Creek

The RCMP returned to Fairy Creek last Friday, October 16. A post on the Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook page states 7 cars drove up, and 15 officers wearing blue standard-issue rain gear walked into the Forest Defender Headquarters.

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Forests, Justice

Fairy Creek and Lyell Island: Policing Then & Now

When Justice Douglas Thompson refused to extend an injunction against old-growth defenders blocking a logging road at Fairy Creek on Vancouver Island, his decision made headlines around the world.

Justice Thompson referred explicitly in his decision to “enforcement […] carried out by police officers rendered anonymous to the protesters, many of those police officers wearing ‘thin blue line’ badges.” The significance of this language may not be clear to every reader; but the judge’s reasoning was important — to more than just the struggle over the fate of the pathetic remnants (one or two percent) of BC’s old-growth forests.

Continue reading Fairy Creek and Lyell Island: Policing Then & Now →