Dozens of Land Defenders Converge on RBC for Kill the Drill Rally

Victoria joined several other cities in marching on its local Royal Bank of Canada as part of a nationwide “Kill the Drill” campaign opposing the bank’s continued investment into Coastal Gaslink, whose natural gas pipeline threatens Wet’suwet’en water supply.

In attendance at Centennial Square were about fifty proud land defenders, and of course four police officers. Multiple organisations joined in with banners, such as Elders for Ancient Trees, Save Old Growth, and Extinction Rebellion.

After fiery speeches, the marchers took to the streets, at which point the police presence swelled. They chanted slogans such as “Kill the Drill!” in reference to Coastal Gaslink’s pipeline drilling underneath the Morice River, threatening both the local population’s water supply and a salmon spawning point. The protesters marched on the local RBC branch on Douglas and Fort, urging it to divest from the company as part of a strategy to hinder the project from an economical standpoint, complementing its legal and extralegal recourse against the highly controversial project.

While law enforcement was basically breathing on the protesters’ necks, the rally unfolded without incident. The organisers deployed multiple safety officers to minimise the risk of traffic accidents. No arrests were made.

This campaign occurs amid a resurgence of active resistance at pipeline construction sites on the mainland, escalating to barricades and even the torching of RCMP vehicles. While many may complain that the environmental activists are effectively engaging in eco-terrorism, the RCMP has been widely criticised for exceeding its prerogative, while Coastal Gaslink has been accused of committing numerous environmental law violations. In this respect, the system reaps what it sows.