A bunch of Indigenous youth took their battle in opposition to the Trans Mountain Pipeline enlargement challenge to the Vancouver workplaces of insurance coverage corporations backing the controversial enterprise earlier this week.
On Thursday, roughly 20 youth from the xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh) and different First Nations occupied the foyer — in addition to south and west entrances — of 250 Howe St., a high-rise constructing housing Chubb Insurance coverage Co. of Canada, certainly one of 11 insurers backing the pipeline challenge.
“We’re demanding that they cease insuring the pipeline,” mentioned a protest spokesperson who declined to offer their identify. “We’re going to be right here all day, we’re going to ensure that they hear us, that they know that we’re right here, that we all know that we try to strain them to cease insuring this pipeline.”
About half of the younger individuals carried out a sit-in contained in the constructing foyer, the place they hung pink clothes and banners. The remainder stood outdoors the entrances, the place they used extra pink clothes — which have come to represent lacking and murdered Indigenous ladies and women — to tie shut the door handles of two essential entrances.
Pictures by Katie Hyslop.
A shelter arrange in entrance of the south entrance featured a Rotisken’rakéhte or Mohawk Warrior Society flag, extra pink clothes and a banner that learn, “Cease Insuring Genocide,” referring to each the environmental destruction related to the challenge, in addition to the hyperlink between violence in opposition to Indigenous ladies and women and so-called “man camps” that usually home trade employees.
The 11 corporations at the moment insuring the Trans Mountain Pipeline enlargement challenge to the tune of US$508 million are set to resume their involvement with the challenge this summer season.
Final yr, Germany’s Zurich Insurance coverage Group, Munich Re Group and Talanx Group all declined to resume their backing of the pipeline after dealing with related protests worldwide since 2019.
Zurich had been one of many challenge’s largest backers, overlaying the preliminary US$8 million in any insurance coverage payouts the enlargement challenge must make.
The Tyee contacted Chubb for remark however has but to obtain a response.
On Wednesday, the identical younger protestors occupied the foyer of 999 West Hastings St., residence to Liberty Mutual Group, which along with insuring the Trans Mountain challenge, additionally insures the Alberta oilsands and the now-defunct Keystone XL pipeline.
“We hope that each one the insurers will drop out of guaranteeing the TMX pipeline, and that it’s going to fall via as it’s not an economically viable or environmentally viable challenge,” mentioned the protest spokesperson.
“And we’re attempting to ensure that this stops going via unceded territory with out consent from the native host nations.”
There was Vancouver police presence at each protests. On Thursday, two Vancouver Police Division autos had been parked subsequent to 250 Howe St., with officers observing the peaceable protest.
The protestors, who posted movies of Wednesday and Thursday’s protests on Instagram, say there have been as many as 15 law enforcement officials outdoors Liberty Mutual on Wednesday.
“They compelled about half of us out of the constructing. After which after that, we had half the group keep inside and occupy the area till the constructing’s workday was over,” the spokesperson mentioned, including there was an unsuccessful try by officers to arrest some protesters. “We managed to get away from them.”
In an e-mail to The Tyee, VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison acknowledged the police presence at each protests, however mentioned there have been no arrests.
“VPD officers did reply to and monitor protests concentrating on insurance coverage corporations working with the Trans Mountain pipeline. Throughout these occasions, protesters blocked entry and egress to high-rise buildings by tying closed the entrance doorways, occupying the lobbies and blocking different entrances,” Addison wrote, including the division respects residents’ proper to peacefully protest.
“VPD officers liaised with protesters and constructing occupants to make sure the protection of all — primarily the flexibility for individuals to return and go from the constructing within the case of emergency. These buildings are non-public property.”
The protesters say they’ve plans to protest different firms backing the Trans Mountain enlargement challenge, however wouldn’t say when. ![[Tyee]](https://insurance.einnews.com/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
