Countrywide demonstrations in support of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs included a large protest at Queen’s Park on Monday, with more events on the horizon.

Planned disruption has been mounting across Canada as part of a growing movement, rooted in opposition to a major pipeline project that would cross the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en Nation in northern British Columbia. It has resulted in the shutting down of rail lines and temporary impasses this weekend at two bridges on the U.S. border, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government scrambling to find a resolution.

Toronto’s event began at Christie Pits Park at about 3 p.m. A throng of more than 1,000 demonstrators, some walking with the “Families for Wet’suwet’en” group, moved in a slow procession along Bloor Street to Bay Street, south to College Street and then to Queen’s Park.

The walk was led by a line of people singing and playing drums, and backed by a second group carrying a broad black banner with the words “Families for Wet’suwet’en.” At each intersection, the group paused, cheering and singing.

Demonstrators carried placards bearing statements such as “No Consent, No Pipelines,” and chanted, “When justice fails block the rails. Shut Canada down,” and “How do you spell racist? R-C-M-P.”

On arrival, at the south side of the legislative building, the crowd formed a circle as people spoke in opposition to the pipeline and in support of Indigenous rights. Between statements, music and song continued. Prayers were offered and some members joined hands and took part in a round dance. At other moments, a sense of palpable anger and frustration rose from the crowd, as they called on the federal government to respect hereditary land rights.

At Queen’s Park, one speaker read a statement from Eve Saint, one of four people arrested at the Gidimt’en checkpoint in B.C. on Feb. 7 after a dramatic encounter with officers pointing rifles and group members pleading with them not to shoot, according to reporting and a video posted by the CBC.

Daughter of the hereditary chief of that territory, Saint described a scene that included officers in tactical gear, dropping from helicopters and holding rifles.“The thought of being shot replayed in my mind and I repeatedly yelled to RCMP, ‘We are unarmed and peaceful. Don’t shoot.’”

Saint thanked supporters and encouraged them to “keep using your voice” and power.

“This is what it looks like for Indigenous land defenders on their own territories in 2020. We need to keep up this momentum. It is with unity with Wet’suwet’en, but it is also about Indigenous rights everywhere,” Saint wrote. “Keep using your voice, your power to shut down Canada.”

Toronto police were assisting the “safe movement” of the demonstration, Const. Michelle Flannery told the Star.

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“It’s a peaceful movement of people,” Flannery said. Another event was expected to take place next week.

In Ottawa, Trudeau held an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss blockades.

“I understand how worrisome this is for so many Canadians and difficult for many people and families across the country,” Trudeau said. “We’re going to continue to focus on resolving the situation quickly and peacefully.”

A similar protest was staged in Niagara Falls on Sunday. A smaller rally took place there, as protesters temporarily blocked traffic at the Rainbow International Bridge. The rally created long lineups of cars at the bridge.

On Saturday, protesters in Vaughan stopped rail traffic at MacMillan Yard for close to seven hours. The protesters left after being served with an injunction ordering them off the CN Rail line.

Other events planned across the country Monday included a rally on the McGill University campus in Montreal and a protest at Confederation Park in Ottawa.

Protesters also blocked access to the Thousand Islands Bridge near Kingston, Ont., a border crossing, for roughly three hours. Ontario Provincial Police urged those planning to cross to the U.S. to find other routes in order to avoid the group.

The nationwide protests and blockades have brought freight rail shipping to a halt in areas, and led to Via Rail stopping passenger trains, all with an economic impact of millions of dollars.

On Saturday, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller met with representatives of the Mohawk First Nation, at the site of a blockade near Belleville, Ont., that has been in place for almost two weeks and has resulted in the shutdown of train travel across much of Eastern Canada.

With files from Paul Forsyth and The Canadian Press

Ted Fraser is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @ted_fraser

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