Anti-pipeline blockaders blame “racist” Trans Mountain for stirring up RCMP in vandalism, mischief trial
A lawyer for three anti-pipeline Tiny House Warriors facing charges related to vandalism blames the pipeline company at the centre of their dispute for leading the RCMP to overreact during a confrontation which took place in December 2018.
Nearly two years ago, the Tiny House Warriors used red paint to vandalize a building on the campus of Thompson Rivers University. The vandalism was targeted at a building hosting a pipeline consultation between former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Frank Iacobucci and First Nations representatives.
The consultation took place in a rented space, as the meeting with not an official school event.
Three members of the Tiny House Warriors, Nicole Manuel, Chantel Manuel and Isha Jules, were given a variety of charges including mischief, causing a disturbance and assault. At the time of the protest, a total of 23 security officers (including 14 Mounties and nine Trans Mountain security) were on campus and involved.
Defence lawyer Joe Killoran believes that the event was aggravated by “racist” Trans Mountains' influence on the police:
“There must have been something alarming in that notification because the Kamloops RCMP quickly assembles a team. … What information was the RCMP given to make them react — or, at least in defence’s submission, overreact — in such a way and be so fearful? Why were the applicants deemed threatening? Who was threatened? Why did they make that determination? Who made it?”
According to Killoran, the confrontation between THW members and police and security officers was the result of over-policing and Trans Mountain’s “hostile” bias toward the group. He characterized Trans Mountain as a “racist” corporation in its dealings with the THW.
So, Killoran has applied for Kamloops provincial court Judge Stella Frame to order Trans Mountain to turn over all of their documentation involving the Tiny House Warriors.
As reported in Kamloops This Week, the lawyer for Trans Mountain says that these documents are irrelevant.
Trans Mountain lawyer Eric Gottardi admitted the company follows the activities of the THW and other protest groups that stand opposed to their business — building a pipeline.
“The Tiny House Warriors are, by definition, adverse in interest to Trans Mountain Corporation,” Gottardi said. “[The group] says that they are being monitored. My answer to that is, ‘Yeah, so what?’”
Gottardi asked Kamloops provincial court Judge Stella Frame to throw out the THW application, arguing it has nothing to do with the allegations against Manuel, Manuel and Jules.
“It’s not relevant to the issues you will have to wrestle with at trial,” he said. “It’s not relevant to the elements of the offences that will have to be proven at trial.”
You can watch Keean's full expose on the Tiny House Warriors by visiting FakeFirstNation.com.
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