Protesters greeted with hostility at peaceful road closure   
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   By Debora Steel, October 5, 2014	   
      
      
   Tseshaht Chief Councillor Hugh Braker and protester Keith Hunter talk about   
   forestry practises around the fire at the Tseshaht grassroots road closure to   
   logging traffic out at Gracie Main and Sterling Main   
      
   Photo by Debora Steel   
      
      
      
   Port Alberni --    
      
   It only takes one person with a bad attitude and a short fuse to turn a   
   peaceful protest and road closure into a tense situation, and that's who the   
   Tseshahts met this morning at the Gracie Main and Sterling Main Juncture.   
      
   Tseshaht members are closing the road to industrial traffic to prevent timber   
   resources from being removed from the territory. They want British Columbia   
   Timber Sales to come to the table with a promised cedar inventory and to work   
   with the nation on a    
   cedar management strategy.   
      
   This morning, as people were seated around the fire, they talked about the   
   long struggle to protect Indigenous rights and title, and the experiences   
   they've had with direct action. There are many role models from the   
   Nuu-chah-nulth communities who have    
   inspired involvement in Indigenous rights protests. And the knowledge runs   
   deep in many around the fire, dating back to the Red Power movement.   
      
   The first truck that was stopped was waved through after it was established it   
   was a repair crew working on Uchucklesaht property in the area and not   
   involved in a logging endeavor. The second truck, however, had markings on it   
   identifying it as a timber    
   company-owned vehicle, the box was loaded with Jerry Cans, and the occupants   
   seemed hostile from the get-go.   
      
   When Ha-Shilth-Sa pointed a camera in the direction of the vehicle, the   
   situation escalated with a woman passenger becoming very agitated, threatening   
   some kind of action, though not specifying what. The male driver got out of   
   the truck and came around    
   the front of it taking his own pictures with his cell phone. A child and a dog   
   were in the back seat.   
      
   Anne Robinson and Keith Hunter, who were onsite with the protesters, talked   
   with the people for some time, explaining what Tseshaht's concerns are with   
   BCTS and that the group understood that logging companies were caught in the   
   middle. The occupants of    
   the vehicle said they had known about the road closure since Thursday, having   
   had no work since that time. It was determined that the occupants were out on   
   a personal family outing and the vehicle was eventually allowed to pass.   
      
   But the encounter seems to underline the risk to the protesters at the site.   
   However much they wish to remain peaceful, it will very much depend on what's   
   in the hearts of those traveling through on how any given day will go.   
      
   BCTS will be meeting with the Tseshahts on Monday afternoon to hear the   
   members' position. Tseshaht vows to carry on the road closure until there is   
   an agreement on paper to deal with their concerns.   
      
   Related: http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2014-10-03/deal-paper-wh   
   t-tseshaht-membe...   
      
   Related: http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2014-10-02/tseshaht-gras   
   roots-enact-road...   
       
      
      
      
      
      
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   Published by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council   
      
   Contributing Nations:   
      
        
    Ahousaht Kyuquot Ditidaht Ehattesaht Hesquiaht Hupacasath    
   Kyuquot Yuquot Nuchatlaht Tla-o-qui-aht Tseshaht   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)