Wednesday Rally for Ancient Forests+Forest Protectors
October 13, 4-6 pm (Next week we will start winter hours 3-5 pm)4 pm start at BCLeg Government+Belleville corner~5 pm go for a walk to BellMedia building, home of CFAX, 1420 Broad St~5:15 circle up for community time outside of CFAX (Last week we held a beautiful gratitude circle on the street in front of the building. Using public spaces in this way to peacefully disrupt colonial systems is part of the Wednesday Rally ethos!)~6 pm wrap up
Facebook event link https://fb.me/e/4qpnGLa8b
We continue to show up in support of the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history, the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek Blockade.
We stand in support of those people who are in these numbers: the 1100+ arrests and 300+ “catch and releases” by RCMP (this is when police file no charges but abduct people and physically remove them, then drop them somewhere, often on the side of the road far from habitation or phones).
We stand in support and solidarity with the equivalent struggle on Wet’suwet’en land.
We understand that the struggle to save the very last of the old growth ecosystems is a struggle to end colonial violence everywhere.
We abhor the abuse of power exhibited by the RCMP, enabled by our colonial governments.
We stand in opposition to state and corporate violence in the name of profits for already rich people while the world burns and no one in this town can afford rent.
Icymi, everyone should see this episode of XRTV Victoria Victims of RCMP Violence Speak Out / Expert Minces No Words / RCMP Silence, which is the kind of story mainstream media should be doing. Please share it with your networks.
Why CFAX?
We continue to focus on CFAX this week because Adam Stirling, the biggest mainstream media liar and misrepresenter of Fairy Creek-related information in Victoria, has tens of thousands of listeners who also pass on his falsehoods to their friends. He consistently uses language and fabrications to anger volatile, uneducated people who want to find “lower status” people to hate.
More background about CFAX and radio “shock-jock” Adam Stirling:
Last week we held a beautiful gratitude circle on the street in front of the building. Using public space in this way to peacefully disrupt colonial systems is part of the Wednesday Rally ethos!The week before I got arrested for not moving from the front door of the BellMedia building. (I was trying to initiate a sit-in, which became a door-in) Either way, it was, as Rainbow Eyez says, a little taste of “a front row seat to the truth.” The police hurt me unnecessarily, putting me in handcuffs behind my back and lifting me by holding my arms backward, only to release me at the station. My wrists still hurt.
In other words, a “catch and release” abduction using the police as “security” to intimidate and scare people in the name of “private property.”The people who benefit from Stirling’s FOX newsy BS are not the ones he riles up, but SICK HOARDER billionaires like the Thomson family who have benefited greatly from their Bell and other media riches, to the tune of ~$40 billion.Do the Thomsons pay for the Victoria police? No, you do.
A selection of Adam Stirling quotes:
- After the (now reinstated
) injunction was not extended a couple of weeks back, Stirling announces: “The criminals have won.” In other words, he portrays peaceful, nonviolent forest protectors doing the job the PREMIER PROMISED TO DO as criminals.
- In August, after the hottest summer on record, when BC had temperatures in the 40s in June, and not one of our governments in Canada or the West is doing close to enough about the global climate crisis, Adam Stirling says: “I used to think environmentalists were altruistic. Now, I think they are people who are lying and attacking the progressive governments.”
- Adam Stirling says that the forest protectors have assaulted and hurt RCMP officers. This is a lie. He dismisses the use of pepper spray against people who pose ZERO PHYSICAL THREAT: “In terms of force, it could have been a lot worse.”
- He says nothing about how RCMP target Indigenous and people of colour for the worst treatment. He does not mention the broken bones and bruised bodies and trauma of the thousands of UNPAID people who have been putting their bodies on the line to do the job the PREMIER PROMISED TO DO.
- Like the premier, he only talks about Indigenous sovereignty if the Indigenous nation is on the side of industry. He never mentions the Indian Act and the grotesque, coercive agreements that First Nations are bound by. He never mentions the vast disparity in money for the Pacheedaht (hundreds of thousands) vs Teal Jones (more than 100 million), whose owners, Tom and Dick Jones are already super-rich.
- He has never reported from the ground, which is only 2.25 hours away from his cushy office.
Forest Friday
October 15, 4-6 pm (Next week we will start winter hours 3-5 pm)
RCMP building at Topaz and Blanshard, 2881 Nanaimo St
October 15, 4-6 pm (Next week we will start winter hours 3-5 pm)
RCMP building at Topaz and Blanshard, 2881 Nanaimo St
For the same reasons as above.
CODE OF CONDUCT
• Look after each other. Especially on the streets. Especially the most vulnerable people.
• Nonviolent.
• Avoid engaging abusive people.
• Practice Covid protocols. Please wear a mask if you are not vaccinated. There are many immunocompromised people including myself.
• If you are approached by media, please ask them to speak first to people who have been on the frontlines, particularly Indigenous people, people of colour, queer people, women, and youths.
• Avoid smoking for the health of many of our seniors and disabled people.
• Look after each other. Especially on the streets. Especially the most vulnerable people.
• Nonviolent.
• Avoid engaging abusive people.
• Practice Covid protocols. Please wear a mask if you are not vaccinated. There are many immunocompromised people including myself.
• If you are approached by media, please ask them to speak first to people who have been on the frontlines, particularly Indigenous people, people of colour, queer people, women, and youths.
• Avoid smoking for the health of many of our seniors and disabled people.
A selection of articles by me, Tasha Diamant.