Natives Disrupt Sell-Out Chiefs Pro-2010 Media Event

AFN and FHFN pro-Olympic 'Photo Opportunity' Disrupted by Native 2010 Resistance
February 18, 2008

On February 18, 2008, members of the Native 2010 Resistance disrupted an Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and Four Host First Nations (FHFN) photo op at the Sutton Hotel, located on Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver).

Indigenous women From the Native 2010 Resistance poured bags of apples onto the podium where National Chief Phil Fontaine was announcing "First Nations participation and volunteer opportunities with the 2010 Olympics".

Like apples, Phil Fontaine and the Four Host First Nations sell-out chiefs are red skinned but white on the inside, bargaining off Indigenous lands for profit.

Fontaine tried to keep his composure, his podium filled with apples as Native women yelled in front of his face "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land!" and told the small crowd "You should all be ashamed of yourselves for contributing to the rape and destruction of Mother Earth!."

Indigenous resistance against the games has been snowballing as more are learning about Olympic industrial development and destruction taking place on Skwxwú7mesh-ulh (Squamish), Lil'wat, St'at'imc, Stölo, Nlaka'Pamux, and Secwepemc Native Lands.

While the Four Host First Nations claim to have avid support, the room that the media event took place in was nearly empty for the first 20 minutes and filled to a measly 15 people with only one media personnel to take advantage of the 'photo op'. There was also no security at the event or around the hotel during the affair.

The AFN, which is the so called "national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada", will assist the Four Host First Nations and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) in distributing a series of newsletters that will provide information on how to volunteer at the Winter Games.

The AFN will also make available other opportunities for First Nations peoples to participate in the Games including the Vancouver 2010 Torch Relay, Cultural Olympiad, and employment and procurement opportunities.

According to conversations at the event today, Four Host First Nation's reps expect over 350 First Nations volunteers for the 2010 Olympics. However, the prospect seems daunting given the mounting resistance against and knowledge of the negative impacts on Indigenous lands, and related Indigenous homelessness and poverty.

Native youth, Elders, women, and men are growing more skeptical about participating in the 2010 Games and are fighting back.

The Native Resistance vows to continue to disrupt events that support the 2010 Olympic Games and contribute to the theft of Indigenous lands, to homelessness and poverty.

DON'T BE AN APPLE!
RISE UP AND RESIST THE 2010 OLYMPICS!