Wet'suwet'en supporters end all day sit-in at David Eby's Vancouver office - Action News
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British ColumbiaVideo

Wet'suwet'en supporters end all day sit-in at David Eby's Vancouver office

Pipeline protesters demanded the provincial government revoke permits for the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which is slated to run through Wet'suwet'en traditional territory in northern B.C.

Sit-in at Eby's office ends around 4:30 p.m.

Wet'suwet'en supporters occupy the Vancouver constituency office of B.C. Attorney General David Eby on Feb. 13. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Supporters of Wet'suwet'enNation hereditary chiefs rallied in Vancouver again Thursday, marching from the Kitsilano Community Centre to the constituency office of B.C. Attorney General David Eby.

About 40 peoplecrowded into the office at 2909 West Broadway and chanted "sovereign forever, never surrender." The crowds had dispersed and leftEby's office by about 4:30 p..m PT, one of the organizers confirmed.

The group was demandingthe provincial government revoke all permits associated with the $6.6 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline project slated to run through traditional Wet'suwet'en territory in northern B.C., in addition to other gas fracking projects, until they meetthe standards of free, prior and informed consent as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Supporter Amy Walker held a sign reading "stop the invasion #wetsuwetenstrong."

"The truth is we're learning a lot about consent these day across our culture. And when people sayno, we do not want you to come in, you need to listen to those people and you need to stop. You don't go and physically force them off their land," she said.

"Use the washrooms. This is our turf today": Watch as protesters take over Eby's office:

Wet'suwe'ten supporters stage sit-in

5 years ago
Duration 0:38
Supporters of the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs occupy the Vancouver constituency office of B.C. Attorney General David Eby.

Thursday's actions werethe latest in a series of anti-pipeline protests in Vancouver.

On Wednesday, about 200 people moved through the streets of downtown, disrupting traffic and eventually blocking the Granville Bridge in both directions for more than two hours.

On Tuesday, protesters blocked a major intersection at Cambie Street and Broadway. And on Monday 57 protesters were arrested at blockades of the the ports in Vancouver and Deltawhen police moved in to enforce an injunction order.

Speaking in Victoria, Ebypointed out that his constituency office staff has no decision-making power.

Wet'suwet'en supporters put a banner across the window of the Vancouver office of B.C. Attorney General David Eby. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

"We've had protesters at our office before and we've tried to accommodate them. My concern is for the security of information about constituents in our office and the safety of our staff," said Eby.

The Coastal GasLink pipeline will carry natural gas 670 kilometresfromDawson Creek to the LNG Canada liquefaction plant that is under construction near Kitimaton B.C.'s northern coast.

Protestors say they are planning to shut down the B.C. Legislature in Victoria on Friday, three days afterdozens of people supportingtheWet'suwet'enhereditary chiefs blocked all entrances and exits to the legislature,disrupting the start of the spring session and attempting to stop people from entering the building.

Victoria public servants warned

In a email sent to public service employees, the premier's deputy minister,Don Wright, warned a similar situation could unfold Friday.

"As Head of the Public Service, I believe I have an obligation to be very frank on this matter I find this treatment of those serving the public to be reprehensible and unacceptable," said Wright.

"We will not ask public servants to put themselves into any situation where they do not feel safe."

Earlier in the day,B.C. Premier John Horgan and federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller signalled they're willing to arrange meetings with the Indigenous groups behindprotests in B.C. and other parts of Canada that have blocked passenger and freight rail traffic.

With files from Yvette Brend, Tanya Fletcher