“Defend the Sacred” Chant a Hundred Land Defenders Throughout Victoria

A hundred land defenders and supporters gathered at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to celebrate their connection to the Earth and denounce the colonial invader that sullies it.

Participants raising their hands at the prayer circle.

Singing before a circle of offerings to the Earth.

A different kind of offering, this time to the resistance fund. These events are more expensive than most would think.

Remember the banners for the United for Old Growth rally?

The event was actually advertised as a prayer walk for old growth forests. It was organised by various individuals and groups that had been involved in the Fairy Creek resistance, to date among the largest acts of civil disobedience in the history of this country.

Wherever land defenders go, the police follows. Ten of them, and more would join come the march.

The earlier part of the event was largely ceremonial, a prayer circle fuelled with storytelling, smudging, and chanting, interspersed with denunciation of the colonial practices that have desecrated the land and its people for centuries. Of course there was plenty for the speakers to rant about, ranging from residential schools to C-IRG.

The protesters then took to the streets, walking upward on Douglas to the intersection with Fort, there chanting: “United, the people will never be defeated!”, and resuming the march to Centennial Square, where they formed a circle around the giant cedar tree.

Here’s some old growth, at least as old as one can find in urban areas. The real thing can be way bigger.

I like how cops try to look badass with their sunglasses.

This is where things got awkward. In an egregious lack of foresight and etiquette, the marched crossed the square right into the Folktoria festival, which naturally caused some tensions. The latter’s organisers had to step in at some point and offer a time slot on the stage if only the chanters kept quiet during the presentation they were interrupting. Fortunately, the crowd took it fairly well and the marchers were allowed to take part in the event.

Please don’t do this again. This is a rookie mistake.

It worked out just fine in the end. They could have just asked in advance though.

It could have unfolded differently with such a large police presence at the march, had Folktoria instead called upon them to intervene. Let’s forgive them this time, since the colonial invader did way worse, but I wish they plan ahead next time.