NEWSLETTER #1 on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9 2021.
Hello Protectors of the Planet, friends,
If you haven't heard we thought you would want to know:
On Monday May 31 our Direct Action Prayer Circle (an Affinity Group of Protect the Planet STOP TMX) occupied a Trans Mountain worksite alongside the Brunette River, and held off their destruction ALL day. We were in prayer to Protect the Planet, and to shine a light on the many species, including endangered ones, that are at risk from the destruction being brought by Trans Mountain on these unceded Kwikwitlem, Tsleilwaututh, Kwantlen, Qayqayt & Musqueam lands.
Trans Mountain twice called RCMP, who arrived to read the injunction. No arrests were made. Prayer Circle members and allies left willingly, all choosing to remain free to continue the important work of blocking this Tar Sands expanding project. A good day's work.
The very next day... on Tuesday June 1 our Community Nest Finding Network (another Affinity Group of Protect the Planet STOP TMX) with the help of - and in defense of - a pair of Black-capped Chickadees, stopped TMX work again.
The large TMX crew onsite was forced to down tools before even picking them up for the day. We're not sure how long TMX will be stopped for, but news from CBC reports that Trans Mountain must now stop all tree-cutting and even grass mowing ALONG THE ENTIRE PIPELINE ROUTE!
Then on Saturday a dozen or so folks joined our weekly Tour to the TreeSit. This is a great way to learn about our frontline work and the amazing Affinity Groups of Protect the Planet STOP TMX. Tours go regularly on Saturday at noon. Register here for Tours, limited numbers for COVID protocols, masks required
The Tour starts at Lower Hume Park and heads through the beautiful forest to the Tree Sit. We'll cover all the basics about Protect the Planet including the Tree Sit, Prayer Circle, the story of the amazing Anna's Hummingbird Federal Stop Work Order, Adopt a Pipeline monitoring and surveillance, and lastly but you know not leastly... how much we need your help!
SO . we . need . your . HELP !
With warm weather, carefully we can be outside together in small numbers. We are grassroots. We are using our simple skills, working together, and actually stopping TMX! We are preparing our networks. We are skilling up for the hard work that lies ahead virtually and in person.
Every effort is important in this David vs Goliath situation. The hummingbird defense only lasts so long, and if they come for the 1308 trees we will be ready and waiting. Until this project is cancelled we continue our efforts, day by day taking Direct Action to make a difference.
Our Get Involved page should be evolving over this next week with more specific ways to help. For now, join a tour, stay on our mailing list, and educate yourself about what is happening.
To quote a Secwepemc land defender ally: "I see thousands of people going to pay their respects at the Kamloops Residential School that's good, but I would also love to see everyone fight the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion which is just another form of settler colonial violence inflicted on Indigenous Peoples to usurp more land"
This pipeline will never be completed.
In strength & solidarity,
PPST - Protect the Planet STOP TMX
P.S. You are receiving this email because you attended a People's Assembly to Protect the Planet STOP TMX or a Tour to the TreeSit, or you are already part of a PPST Affinity Group.
P.P.S. Anyone can sign up for this email list (so forward to a friend).
To sign up send a blank email with a blank subject line to united_we_stoptmx-subscribe@npogroups.org
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