Last night, the sign marking the border of the Unis’tot’en Camp was damaged by a crude homemade incendiary device. No one was injured, and the perpetrators escaped in their vehicle before they could be identified. According to members of the camp:
This shot shows the damage done to the sign. The explosion was loud enough for us to feel a slight concussion as well as mistake the sound of the explosion for a gunshot going off near the cabin which is about 100 meters away from this site.
The Unis’tot’en are a First Nation that has enacted a ‘soft blockade’ of their territory. No one outside may enter unless they adhere to the protocol. Members if the Unis’tot’en have defied the Canadian government and several major oil companies by forbidding the construction of pipelines through their territory, most notably the Pacific Trails Pipeline (delayed and entire year due to their efforts) and the Northern Gateway.
We can only speculate as to the motives behind the attack right now, but the Unis’tot’en’s direct affirmation of sovereignty of their territory should not be seen as insignificant, especially in light of the RCMP attack at Elsipogtog.