Mohawk activist Shawn Brant and dozens of Native protesters here have made a first move in their threat of direct action to force the federal government to call a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Brant and about 75 other protesters started putting up a blockade on Shannonville Road, south of Hinchey Road and Airport Parkway, after 8 p.m. Sunday. Since then, the road has remained closed to traffic as the morning commute saw a strong OPP presence after a dozen protesters spent the night and remained in the area.

“It’s happening,” Brant said, while monitoring the erection of a teepee in the middle of Shannonville Road, just before 8 a.m. Monday.

"We came in with about 80 guys last night (Sunday), anticipating the possibility of confrontations so we came in heavy.”

Brant, who promised such action last week, said things have remained “fairly quiet” at the two blockade scenes. A second, but smaller, blockade was erected down Shannonville Road, at Old Highway 2, where a handful of protesters were seen standing around a small fire and under Tyendinaga Police supervision.

"We want to create opportunity for national discussion and awareness on the issue that’s facing us right now with the murdered and missing women," he added. "We are going to be out here as long as it’s necessary to facilitate that and movement by the government to create a federal strategy and call a national inquiry into this tragedy."

The well-known activist in Quinte noted having the government take action would be a signal that Canada cares about the fate of those missing women and those who are responsible.

"It would show that Canada cares, that the government recognizes the overwhelming number of people that are being lost," he said. "Right now we’re losing one of 400 Indigenous women to murder. A national inquiry is a first step in indicating the government has regard and places its value on the lives of First Nations women.”

Sgt. Kristine Rae, who arrived on Shannonville Road after 11 a.m., said OPP and the Tyendinaga Police Service are aware of the road closure and are monitoring the situation with officials from involved municipalities. Many OPP and CN police cruisers could be seen parked along Highway 401 and railways near the blockades.

Following last fall’s throne speech where the federal government showed “some kind of opening” in regards to files of missing Native women, Brant drafted a letter for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He said this ongoing protest is a response to Harper’s response.

“We put those facts into clarity and our concerns forward,” he said. “February 28 (last Friday) was the day we expected a response, but instead of getting a response what we got was the OPP and RCMP putting our community under siege,” he said.