Six Nations blockade Highway 6 for Missing, Murdered Women
Highway 6 closed by protest over missing, murdered women
The Canadian Press/CBC News,Oct 04, 2014
Protesters calling for action on missing and murdered aboriginal women have closed stretches of two highways in Ontario.
Provincial police say demonstrators have blocked part of Highway 6 between Caledonia and Hagersville and at the Skyway Bridge on Highway 49 connecting Tyendinaga Territory and Prince Edward County.
The protests come on what’s billed as a national day of vigil for missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls.
Six Nations Men’s Fire, which is organizing the planned two-day Highway 6 closure, is calling on the federal government to hold an inquest into the matter.
OPP say their objective is to maintain the safe flow of traffic and, when delays occur, get traffic flowing again in the safest manner possible.
Police say they are working with protest groups to let demonstrators safely and peacefully exercise their right to protest while minimizing the impact on the travelling public when possible.
Natives block bridge near Belleville, call for inquiry into murdered Aboriginal women
BELLEVILLE, Ont.– First Nations protesters calling for a federal inquiry to address more than 1,200 cases of missing and murdered First Nations women have blocked the bridge between Prince Edward County and the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
Tyendinaga Mohawk Police Chief Ron Maracle said demonstrators arrived at the Skyway Bridge outside Deseronto at about 9:30 a.m. They soon parked vehicles across Highway 49 at both ends of the bridge.
About a dozen protesters could be seen at the north end.
The scene at the north end was quiet, with protesters and police milling about quietly in their respective areas.
Maracle said police and protesters were communicating, and while there was no immediate plan to remove the blockade or make arrests, it remained an option. He said police would what was best to protect public safety.
“They’ve been advised that what they are doing is a criminal offence,” Maracle said.
A protester who gave her name only as Tiffany said the demonstration was organized in support of a call by the Six Nations for an inquiry. The Mohawks are part of the Six Nations, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy.
“We’ve been to Parliament. We’ve signed petitions. We’ve held peaceful protests. We’ve gone to Ottawa and marched in Ottawa. We’ve begged and pleaded.
“A police officer told me a while ago that there has to be a better solution than blocking off the roads. I asked that police officer, ‘What is that solution?’ and she had no idea what that would be.”
No Ontario Provincial Police were seen at the northern blockade but the force issued press releases Saturday morning.
“The OPP’s objective is to maintain the safe flow of traffic and, when delays occur, restore traffic flow in the safest manner possible,” read one from Napanee OPP.
“The OPP is also working with those who organize protest events to provide a safe and peaceful opportunity to exercise their lawful rights while minimizing the impact on the travelling public, where possible.”
When asked what Canadians should do about the issue of missing and murdered women, protester Tiffany replied simply, “Stand up.”
Posted on October 4, 2014, in Indigenous Women and tagged missing murdered Indigenous women, MMIW, native blockades, native protests, six nations, stolen sisters, violence against Indigenous women. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
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