It’s not everyday you see a police stand off in one of the most remote places in the world. The Sacred Headwaters lies in the North West quadrant of British Columbia. It’s a vast wilderness where wild game still out number people and where three of the largest undammed salmon bearing rivers in North America all have their birthday place; the Stikine, Naas and Skeena.
It’s also home to the Tahltan First Nation community. Since colonization the group has fought to protect their sacred lands and have never given up their title. Unfortunately, the BC government continues to issue permits to mining companies without the consent of the nation. For six weeks last summer, the Tahltan protested Fortune Minerals Mining project in the heart of the Sacred Headwaters. The project would create a 40 square km open pitt coal mine to ship anthracite coal to foreign markets. Immediately after the protest started the RCMP brought in two police helicopters, 8 ATV’s and several SUVs to an area 6 hours from the nearest detachment.
Spending hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars to protect a mining companies interest.
Ultimately the Tahltan’s protest fell on deaf ears and the group was forced to take direct action and occupy the mining companies drills.
Minutes later this conversation was recorded at the drill.
Video by Beyond Boarding
