Legalectric

This killing is very disheartening.  I’m shook.  As one who spends an inordinate amount of time outside the doorway of nearly every utility infrastructure meeting, open house, and hearing, handing out flyers and greeting everyone as the come in (just attended this last round of GNTL, printer not working so no flyers to be handed out!), this killing by RCMP is most disturbing.  When stationed outside meetings, I’ve been told to leave, to stop handing out flyers (pretty revolutionary flyers, too, telling people how to file comments on the records, urging them to show up at hearings), and I’ve been told to get off private property, that’s happened a few times over the years.  And each time I’ve objected, “resisted” following their directions, standing my ground.  I’ve also objected to police presence at these meetings — sometimes they’re called to keep an eye on things (?? exactly what and why??), and admittedly certain people, and I tell the organizers and the officers that I object, and stress that it has a chilling effect on participation.  Now?  Guess I’ll think twice, or maybe three times, about getting vocal when told to leave.

What happened in Dawson Creek?  There was a tweet prior to the meeting saying “Anonymous splinter group (to) attend the scheduled meeting in Dawson Creek tonight starting at 6pm,” (seems to have been deleted?).  One protester attended the open house, and he got rowdy at a meeting, it’s not clear exactly what happened, did he have a mask on or not, but it sounds like he dumped over displays and tore up maps, and then was asked to leave and he did leave the meeting without further hassle.  Meanwhile someone called police.  RCMP arrived on high alert, found a man at the entrance wearing a mask, according to statements, officers presumed it was same one disrupting the open house, they had an agitated back and forth with the man near the door, it’s reported he had a knife, in hand or in case on belt.  RCMP shoots and kills him.  The youtube shows the aftermath.  Photos show a guy with hood up, Guy Fawkes mask on, hands in front of him.  He visibly bled out on the sidewalk.  Initially, it was reported that it was the same guy as was inside the open house, and then, many hours afterwards, they revealed that no, the man who was killed was not the same person who was causing the disturbance at the open house (not that causing a disturbance should be a death sentence), and the one causing the disturbance had left the scene, he was alive and well.  There were also reports that the man shot and killed was involved in an unrelated domestic disturbance in the bar but that has disappeared from reports and appears not to be true.  An apartment was raided, and it seems it was the “disruptors” family’s apartment.

Regional District wants BC Hydro to hit brakes on Site C

Site C Dam and Powerplant Not Needed

And let’s not have anymore gatherings about this project for a while, makes sense:

BC Hydro Site C protest in Vancouver cancelled due to concerns about violence

And:

B.C. Hydro delays Site C job fair events in three northern B.C. communities, citing safety concerns

But I sure hope everyone’s keeping in mind just who’s being violent here!

Alaska Highway News seems to be doing the most thorough coverage of this, and where else is this being reported?  The man shot by RCMP outside the BC Hydro Site C meeting, about the proposed new dam project, was identified as James McIntire: