Arrests keep happening at Kinder Morgan’s tank farm in Burnaby, B.C. but one prominent activist says not everyone is getting the same treatment.

Arrests keep happening at Kinder Morgan’s tank farm in Burnaby, B.C. but one prominent activist says not everyone is getting the same treatment.

And she’s referring to the arrests of people like Elizabeth May, the federal Green party leader, a couple weeks ago compared to the recent detention of land defender Suntree Larue.

“Like Elizabeth May’s arrest you could see her hooking her arms into both sides of the police officer and walking out,” said Kanahus Manuel. “She wasn’t held in a Canadian prison cell for doing what she believes is right. But Indigenous people are.

“Suntree spent six days in a Canadian prison cell for fighting for our Indigenous rights. That’s our collective rights as Indigenous people across this country. And he’s standing up for all of us.”

More arrests are expected this weekend at the gates with Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, saying he intends to be arrested.

It’s supposed to be an act of solidary by breaking a court injunction.

But another protest has been unfolding for several months. It’s known as Camp Cloud and sits across the road from the gates of Kinder Morgan.

And just outside of the area covered by the court injunction.

APTN’s Laurie Hamelin sat down with two land defenders this week. They explained why they are camped out.

“We gotta defend (water) by all means necessary. For me personally it would have to cost me more than just my life,” said Joshua Williams.

And up the highway from Burnaby along the pipeline route is a different battle.

One where status Indians have been denied band membership at Peters First Nation where the Kinder Morgan pipeline runs directly through. It’s a story APTN first reported just over a year ago.

The three people have asked the Federal Court to make them members.

Guy Peters is one of the three and has been waiting over 30 years to be a member just like his father and brother.

“He states that it is very unsettling for him,” said Karey Brooks of JFK Law that represents the trio. “He doesn’t feel part of a community that he identifies with.”

It’s now in a the hands of a judge to decide after arguments were made last month in Vancouver.

N2N.ca

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