RCMP Blocks Lawyer from Fairy Creek

The BCCLA answered the Civilian Review Complaint Commission’s call for additional complaints in support of its systemic investigation of the RCMP “E” Division Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) today. Our complaint focuses on an interaction between BCCLA Staff Counsel, Veronica Martisius, and the RCMP at an exclusion zone checkpoint within the Caycuse watershed on unceded Ditidaht lands on June 8, 2021. The RCMP officers claimed that the checkpoint and exclusion zone was connected to enforcement of the Injunction, however, on that same afternoon, enforcement was happening at the Hayhaka camp on the other side of the injunction area. Veronica later received written confirmation from RCMP lawyer, Bobby Bharaj, that the exclusion zone she encountered was established exclusively for the benefit of Teal Jones’ active logging operations. This exclusion zone was illegal.