Apr 30, 2018 - Faith Leaders Arrested at Kinder Morgan Gates

“This pipeline will not be built”

28 April, 2018, Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Burnaby, BC) — Seven more people have been arrested today in opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline and tanker project, joining more than 200 people who have been arrested as part of the Indigenous-led movement that has been growing since March 10th.

Today, faith and spirit leaders from various communities including Muslims, Buddhists, people of Jewish faith, Hindus, Unitarians, Christians, interfaith groups and others gathered at Kwekwecnewtxw – the Watch House before marching to the front gates of Kinder Morgan’s Burnaby Mountain tank farm. There, they sang, prayed, led ceremonies, hung prayer flags and rosaries at the gates, all while blocking access to the construction site.

Reverend Laurel Dykstra of the Salal + Cedar Watershed Ministry, who helped organize the event, said at the Kinder Morgan gates: “We are here as faith leaders in solidarity with Indigenous people, answering a call from members of Tsleil-Waututh, from spiritual leaders at the Watch House because they have called us to make real our commitment to reconciliation; to make real our commitment the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.”

“This pipeline will not be built,” added Rev. Dykstra.

“We are here today to ritualize resistance. As a Muslim, I stand in solidarity with Indigenous people in meaningful and intentional ways and take leadership from them,” said Amal Rama of the Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements, an anti-racist, anti-colonial collective.

Bat-Ami Hensen, a member of the Jewish faith community in Victoria, explained that she attended to uphold the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as honour her faith: “In our Torah it says, ‘Justice, Justice shall you pursue’ and we’re told that the reason justice is repeated twice is because it’s not just for ourselves, but for others.”

Last Friday, 16 clergy and members of faith communities blocked both gates at Kinder Morgan’s Westridge Marine Terminal, shutting down operations for seven hours. Three were arrested.

CONTACT:

Rev. Laurel Dykstra, Salal + Cedar Watershed Ministry: (778) 885-9453

Beth Lorimer, KAIROS Canada: (877) 403-8933 ext. 225

Amal Rama, Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements: (604) 764-6257

media@protecttheinlet.ca