“How can we be thieves on our own land?” – the question echoes loudly across international borders, reaching the ears of millions, including Marvel star Mark Ruffalo and global organizations like Amnesty International. But Chief Na’moks, hereditary leader of one of the Five Clans, doesn’t stop there. As the Coastal GasLink project keeps advancing, aided by Canadian law enforcement agencies and financial institutions like the Royal Bank of Canada, the Wet’suwet’en Nation holds fast in their resolution to call out the injustice being carried out against the Indigenous peoples’ land.
Mark Ruffalo Stands Up For the Indigenous People’s Rights
After years and years of unrest and conflict, things have come to a head between the Indigenous peoples of the Wet’suwet’en territory, the Canadian province of British Columbia, and the banks that have funded the Coastal GasLink project. Mark Ruffalo, a vocal climate and environmental activist, who has consistently been bringing the very urgent matter to the public’s attention has spoken up against the use of mercenaries and show of force against the peaceful protestors of the land.
On March 29, matters worsened as reports were heard of mercenaries and officers barricading and locking down the Gidimt’en Checkpoint and arresting peaceful protestors on the Indigenous land. Sleydo’ – leader of one of the Five Clans – reported that 14 vehicles pulled up to the camps in the Indigenous peoples’ territory, raiding them, “conducting a clear sweep” and that “the illegitimate pipeline mercenaries are arresting people as we speak.” Chief Na’moks later revealed, “They come in squad gear, with the full uniform, the dogs, the helicopters, the snipers. They burned down our cabins. They smashed down our cabins.”
In the aftermath of the news getting out, Mark Ruffalo took to Twitter to highlight the injustice and the harassment levied against the Wet’suwet’en Nation people.
Mark Ruffalo Takes Matters Into His Own Hands
In the past, the Marvel star had vehemently criticized Coastal GasLink’s fracking project in British Columbia which has the potential to irreversibly damage the Indigenous peoples’ land and climate. The largest climate march, joined by Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio, witnessed the stars leading the cause against the TC Energy-owned project and the latter contributing generously via the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to aid the Indigenous peoples in their fight against the Goliath.
In 2022, Mark Ruffalo was one among 65 Hollywood celebrities (including RDJ, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Schumer, Scarlett Johansson, and Jane Fonda) to sign a petition asking for RBC and City National Bank to defund Coastal GasLink’s pipeline project. In the absence of real and tangible change, the petition claims that the banks have been “violating Indigenous rights and fuelling climate chaos,” and despite claiming to help build a sustainable world, Coastal GasLink has done anything but that.
