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“This is the third day of an invasion,” said Kolin Sutherland-Wilson. “What Canada is willing to do to the Wet’suwet’en people they are willing to do to any of us. We will not stand down because our ancestors never stood down.”

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Sutherland-Wilson said the fire burning in a steel fire pit on the front steps of the building is sacred and will continue to burn during the protests. He said the presence of a large pile of chopped firewood indicates people could be planning an extended stay.

Earlier Saturday, dozens of youths who slept near the legislature’s ceremonial entrance gates, huddled around the fire wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags.

“We’re definitely occupying this space while the invasion takes place because it’s highly symbolic,” said Sutherland-Wilson. “We’re here at the gates, the royal gates that only the royalty and the lieutenant governor general can use. We’re making it clear that the Canadian rule of law has never been just to Indigenous peoples.”

B.C.’s legislature is set to resume sitting Tuesday. The return of politicians for the spring session includes the arrival of Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin at the legislature gates to officially start the proceedings.

The B.C. legislature was not the only location where people came out against the pipeline — protesters in Ontario stopped railway traffic east of Toronto.

Ontario provincial police said protesters have blocked VIA Rail and Canadian National Rail traffic from Toronto to Montreal and Ottawa since Thursday night.