Occupied Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver)

Beat The Pipelines May 1st

7:00pm
- 10:00pm
Thursday May 1 2014

We Can Beat the Pipelines!

May 1st – 7pm – Victory Square

May 1st (Mayday) has annually been a day for celebration of worker struggles around the world. It commemorates the hanging of eight Chicago anarchists in 1886 for their role as leaders in the struggle for the eight hour work day....

At one time they were in a life and death struggle with the bosses and the government, modern day labour organizations are now often the polar opposite. Business unions work hand in hand with capitalism and jockey for positions in resource extraction projects like tar sands pipelines, and spectacles like the Olympics. Meanwhile working conditions degrade, as do conditions in the lives of workers. The land is poisoned locally, while climate change causes drought and catastrophe around the world.

Labour unions are not alone though, environmental organizations too are tied into the workings and logic of the system, as always are political parties and Indian Act Band Councils. People gasp in disbelief with every government stamp and sell out from progressive organization that works in the interests of business and government. But with every compromised representative comes a powerful opportunity. When we lose our faith in mediation with the exploiters, we gain the possibility to create our own power.

Grassroots Wet’suwet’en land defenders have taken the plunge! The Unist’ot’en Camp sits in the way of the Pacific Trails (fracked gas) and Enbridge (tar sands oil) Pipelines. Relying on their traditional knowledge, communities, and new found affinities with anarchists and other radicals, they are intent on defending their territories and they will allow no treaty or legal route to do it for them.

For this must be a diverse struggle including blockades, disruption and rebellion on the land, and in the city streets. We must declare that no law, no politician, and no sustainable business plan will beat these pipelines, but WE will beat these pipelines, just as WE will have to learn how to live without them.

Join us this mayday for the first in a series of demonstrations that celebrate the example of the Unist’ot’en, the resistance that pipelines have met so far, and the escalated fight they will meet in the future. This time on international workers day, because workers need clean water too, just as all human beings need a living planet.

For more info on the Unist’ot’en Camp see Unistotencamp.com