In a pivotal legal battle, three land defenders face trial for allegedly violating an injunction related to the Coastal GasLink pipeline project.
Amanda Follett Hosgood reports for The Tyee.
In short:
- The trial of Sleydo' Molly Wickham, Shaylynn Sampson, and Corey Jocko, arrested for opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline, began in Smithers, on Wet’suwet’en territory.
- The defendants are charged with criminal contempt for allegedly breaching a court-ordered injunction against obstructing pipeline construction.
- The trial will first address the contempt charges, followed by defense applications for a judicial stay based on alleged police misconduct and Charter rights violations.
Audio recorded during the Nov. 19 arrests captured police making derogatory comments about the arrestees, including racist remarks about face paint worn by Sleydo’ meant to recognize missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, writes Follett Hosgood.
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