Defence Questions Reliability of RCMP Officer's Report on Wet'suwet'en Coastal GasLink Blockade

In an abuse of process hearing at the B.C. Supreme Court in Smithers, defence lawyers questioned the accuracy of an RCMP officer’s report on an encounter with members of the Wet’suwet’en Coastal GasLink blockade. The case centers on three individuals—Sleydo' (Molly Wickham), Shaylynn Sampson, and Corey Jocko—who were found guilty of criminal contempt in January for violating an injunction against blocking pipeline construction.

The defence is requesting the court dismiss or reduce the charges, alleging that RCMP officers used excessive force and treated the accused unfairly in custody during their November 2021 arrests.

RCMP Sgt. Dennis Reddy, a witness for the Crown, described feeling threatened when he and several officers encountered a group of protesters on Oct. 11, 2021. He stated the blockade members were “highly organized” and expressed concerns for the officers' safety. However, defence lawyer Quinn Candler disputed the report's accuracy, arguing that photos taken during the incident showed only 15 protesters, contradicting Reddy's claim of encountering up to 50 individuals.

The defence also challenged statements in Reddy’s report that claimed protesters had declared, “We are ready for war,” as such words were not heard in a video shown in court. Reddy defended his account, admitting minor errors but maintaining that his report accurately reflected the perceived risk.

The hearing has drawn attention from Amnesty International, which has included the accused in its “Write For Rights” campaign, advocating against what it describes as the criminalization of Indigenous land protectors.