Editing Royal Canadian Mounted Police (section)

== Policing of Indigenous peoples, and environmental and social justice activists ==
Policing by the RCMP and other public and [[private security]] has been central to disputes over [[land claims]] and assertions of [[sovereignty]] over land use by Indigenous peoples in Canada ([[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] and [[Métis|Metis]]). Recent notable confrontations over rights to self-determination of land use have precipitated around opposition to pipeline infrastructure through traditional and ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples. Recent scholarship highlights how the policing of [[anti-pipeline movements]] (e.g. against the [[2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests|Coastal GasLink pipeline]] or the [[Dakota Access Pipeline protests|Dakota Access pipeline]] in North Dakota, USA) can serve to actively enforce the violation of Indigenous rights and perpetuate Canada’s [[fossil fuel]] dependency and the country’s contribution to the [[climate crisis]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Gobby |first=Jen |title=Policing Indigenous Land Defense and Climate Activism: Learnings from the Frontlines of Pipeline Resistance in Canada |date=2022 |work=Enforcing Ecocide: Power, Policing & Planetary Militarization |pages=89–121 |editor-last=Dunlap |editor-first=Alexander |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-99646-8_4 |access-date=2025-04-09 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-99646-8_4 |isbn=978-3-030-99646-8 |last2=Everett |first2=Lucy |editor2-last=Brock |editor2-first=Andrea}}</ref>
[[File:RCMP-officer-river-camp.jpg|thumb|329x329px|This RCMP officer at [[Fairy Creek old-growth logging protests|Fairy Creek blockade]] is hiding their identity. It may be common for officers to do this when they wish to preserve their anonymity, like when carrying out unpopular orders in their local community.]]
The [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] (CBC) gained access to internal police documents exposing “[a]n RCMP national security unit monitored First Nations-led anti-pipeline activism for ‘potential threats to the energy, transportation and banking sectors between 2021 and 2022.”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Forester |first=Brett |date=November 7, 2024 |title=RCMP national security unit monitored 'threats' linked to Wet'suwet'en anti-pipeline activism, records show |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-critical-infrastructure-wetsuweten-1.7375872 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> This unit, named the [[Community-Industry Response Group]] (C-IRG), was formed in 2016,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pasternak |first=Shiri |date=2023-05-19 |title=The campaign to abolish the RCMP unit called C-IRG |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/05/19/opinion/campaign-abolish-rcmp-unit-called-c-irg |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=National Observer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pasternak |first=Shiri |title=The Dangerous RCMP Unit called C-IRG |url=https://rcmpheritage.ca/rcmp-history/indigenous-peoples/the-dangerous-rcmp-unit-called-c-irg/ |access-date=April 9, 2025 |website=National RCMP Research Council}}</ref> originally to secure the [[Coastal GasLink pipeline]] project, a pipeline carrying natural gas from gas plays in Northeastern BC to the BC coast transiting through [[Wet'suwet'en]] and other First Nations territories, much of which remains [[Aboriginal title|unceded]].

Surveillance by the RCMP and [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service|CSIS]] has also played a critical role in suppressing civil society, notably environmental activists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Livesey |first=Bruce |date=2017-05-05 |title=Spies in our midst: RCMP and CSIS snoop on green activists |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2017/05/05/news/spies-our-midst-rcmp-and-csis-snoop-green-activists |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=National Observer |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Barrera |first=Jorge |date=Jan 14, 2020 |title=RCMP reactivated list of flagged activists days before Trans Mountain decision, documents show |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-project-sitka-list-1.5422152 |access-date=April 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> The financial expense incurred to the public for these policing efforts are significant—internal RCMP accounting shows that the C-IRG unit spent almost $50M on policing pipeline, logging standoffs in B.C. in its first five years of operations.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Forester |first=Brett |date=Jan 6, 2023 |title=RCMP has spent nearly $50M on policing pipeline, logging standoffs in B.C. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/rcmp-cirg-spending-resource-extraction-1.6705076 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> This spending comprised approximately $3.5M, $27.6M, and $18.7M policing the [[Trans Mountain pipeline#Protests|Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline]], [[Coastal GasLink pipeline#Protests|CoastalGas Link pipeline]], and [[Fairy Creek old-growth logging protests|Fairy Creek logging blockage]], respectively.<ref name=":02" />

=== Policing targets ===

==== Land defence ====

===== Northern Gateway Pipeline =====
An Access to Information request revealed documents containing requests by the National Energy Board to the RCMP and CSIS to monitor and report on advocacy groups who opposed pipeline projects.<ref name=":23">{{Cite news |date=Feb 6, 2014 |title=Alleged CSIS, RCMP spying on Northern Gateway pipeline protesters prompts complaint |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/alleged-csis-rcmp-spying-on-northern-gateway-pipeline-protesters-prompts-complaint-1.2526218 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> According to the records, a member of CSIS or RCMP allegedly infiltrated a community organizing meeting and wrote a report on their findings sharing with [[Enbridge]] — the company that owns the [[Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines|Northern Gateway pipeline]] project — as well as other prominent oil and gas industry leaders part of [[Natural Resources Canada]]. The [[British Columbia Civil Liberties Association|BC Civil Liberties Association]] launched two formal complaints regarding “improper surveillance” on civilian advocacy groups, claiming the act unconstitutional and illegal to surveil such “peaceful democratic activities.”<ref name=":23" />

===== Trans Mountain Pipeline =====
[[Project Sitka]] was a coordinated intelligence effort to compile names of Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists who may use "unlawful tactics" in Indigenous resistance protests. The initiative was concluded in 2015 but was revived in 2016 after the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion's approval. The RCMP instructed officers to "provide any updates to Project Sitka's list of disruptive and volatile subjects from respective divisions."<ref name=":12" />

The RCMP spent around $3.5M policing protests around the [[Trans Mountain pipeline|Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline]] project.<ref name=":02" />

Tiny House Warriors — a group of Indigenous activists who erected small houses along the pipeline's right of way<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 3, 2020 |title=Chiefs urge Tiny House Warriors to end pipeline protest camp in B.C.'s central Interior |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tmx-pipeline-protest-tiny-house-loring-blue-river-1.5635691 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> — were attacked by a group of masked assailants who destroyed ritual installations, physically attacked activists, and stole and drove one of the activists cars into their protest house.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bellrichard |first=Chantelle |date=Apr 22, 2020 |title=RCMP investigating incident at Tiny House Warriors village in Blue River, B.C. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/tiny-house-village-rcmp-investigate-incident-1.5541726 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> A prominent spokesperson for the Tiny House Warriors, Kanahus Manuel, who was based about 175 kilometres northeast of Kamloops and whose car was used by assailants to attempt to demolish her house, told the Tyee that she was convinced "there was not even any attempt by the RCMP to look for these guys."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Three Months after Attack, Tiny House Warriors Complain of RCMP Inaction |url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/07/03/Tiny-House-Warriors-Complain-About-RCMP-Inaction/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=The Tyee}}</ref>

==== Coastal Gas Link Pipeline ====
{{Further|2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests}}
[[File:RCMP_ERT_member_points_suppressed_rifle_at_unarmed_Wet'suwet'en_protester..png|thumb|RCMP ERT member points suppressed rifle at unarmed Wet'suwet'en protester.]]
On December 14, 2018, a provincial court granted [[TC Energy|TransCanada]] (now TC Energy) an injunction to proceed with construction efforts of their [[Coastal GasLink pipeline|Coastal Gas Link pipeline]] — a 670 km long pipeline that would pass through the Wet’suwet’en Nation. At the time, the [[Unistʼotʼen Camp|Unist’ot’en Camp]] blockade was actively protesting the development. A new checkpoint was set up on land of the [[Gitim'ten|Gitim'ten (Gitimd’en]]),<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-01-03 |title=Call to Action: How to Support the Gitimt’en Camp |url=https://itsgoingdown.org/call-to-action-how-to-support-the-gitimten-camp/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221207014834/https://itsgoingdown.org/call-to-action-how-to-support-the-gitimten-camp/ |archive-date=2022-12-07 |access-date=2025-04-09 |work=It's Going Down |language=en-US}}</ref> one of the five clans of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, to continue blocking access to the construction site.
[[File:UnistotenCamp.jpg|thumb|Unist'ot'en Camp building with banner.]]
On January 7, 2018, the RCMP conducted a militarized raid on the [[Gitim'ten]] checkpoint, arresting 14 people. Investigations revealed that prior to the raid, RCMP commanders had instructed and encouraged violence, "lethal overwatch" (a term to deploy lethal force), and that arrests were necessary to "sterilize the site."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dhillon |first=Jaskiran |last2=Parrish |first2=Will |date=2019-12-20 |title=Exclusive: Canada police prepared to shoot Indigenous activists, documents show |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/canada-indigenous-land-defenders-police-documents |access-date=2025-04-09 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

After the violent evictions, and surveillance recorded of Indigenous land defenders, the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published a letter calling for more information on the ceasing of construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and the Coastal Gas Link Pipeline due to the related harms caused to the [[Secwépemc]] and [[Wetʼsuwetʼen|Wet’suwet’en]] peoples.<ref>Office of the UN High Commissioner. April 29, 2022. CERD/EWUAP/106th session/2022/MJ/CS/ks. Available at: https://www.aptnnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/INT_CERD_ALE_CAN_9554_E.pdf</ref>

A report by Amnesty International detailed widespread "intimidation and harassment" of Wet’suwet’en people by the RCMP when acting to protect the CoastalGas Link's construction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=Cara McKenna Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Meral Jamal, Local Journalism Initiative |date=2023-12-12 |title=Report details 'intimidation and harassment' of Wet'suwet'en people by RCMP protecting pipeline company |url=https://indiginews.com/features/report-details-intimidation-and-harassment-of-wetsuweten-people-by-rcmp-protecting-pipeline-company |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=IndigiNews |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=2023 |title=Removed from our land for defending it: Criminalization, Intimidation and Harassment of Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders |url=https://amnesty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/wetsuweten-report.pdf |journal=Amnesty International}}</ref>

==== Global Summits ====
Several global summits where protests erupted decrying global injustices suffered violent repression by RCMP and local police forces. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 3rd Summit of the Americas hosted in Quebec City from April 20 to 22, 2001 faced massive protests, referred to as the [[3rd Summit of the Americas#Protests|Quebec City (or A20) protests]]. Police liberally fired tear gas and rubber bullets and deployed water cannons to attack and disperse the crowd.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Apr 22, 2001 |title=Police fire water cannon, tear gas in Quebec City |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/police-fire-water-cannon-tear-gas-in-quebec-city-1.291444 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref> On November 13, 2003, the complaint's chairwoman Shirley Heafey argued that "RCMP members used excessive and unjustified force in releasing tear gas to move the protesters when a more measured response could have been attempted first."<ref>{{Cite news |date=Nov 13, 2003 |title=RCMP used 'excessive force' at Quebec summit: report |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/rcmp-used-excessive-force-at-quebec-summit-report-1.376799 |access-date=Apr 9, 2025 |work=CBC News}}</ref>
[[File:Toronto_G20_Protests.tif|thumb|Kettled protesters in Toronto during the G20 protests]]
Other summits where the RCMP played a role in a controversial police response to protests include the [[Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America#Trilateral summit meetings|Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America]] (SPP) summit in Montebello, Quebec in August 2007, where masked protesters believed to be undercover police incited violence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 22, 2007 |title=Undercover cops tried to incite violence in Montebello: union leader |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/undercover-cops-tried-to-incite-violence-in-montebello-union-leader-1.646775 |work=CBC News}}</ref> There was also what was then named the "largest-ever police spy operation" aimed at activists organizing the [[2010 G20 Toronto summit protests|2010 G20 Summit protests]] in Toronto, Ontario.<ref name=":32">{{cite web |last=Groves |first=Tim |last2=Dubinsky |first2=Zach |date=Nov 22, 2011 |title=G20 case reveals 'largest ever' police spy operation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/g20-case-reveals-largest-ever-police-spy-operation-1.1054582 |website=CBC News}}</ref> It was revealed via Freedom of Information requests that "at least 12 undercover officers infiltrated groups" spanning Vancouver, southern Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, in one of the largest-ever such operations internal to Canada.<ref name=":32" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morrow |first1=Adrian |last2=MacKrael |first2=Kim |date=22 November 2011 |title=How police infiltrated groups planning G20 protests |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/how-police-infiltrated-groups-planning-g20-protests/article4170473/ |website=Globe and Mail}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=30 July 2010 |title=Police Infiltrate Anarchists and Activists (Guelph, Kitchener, Toronto) |url=https://snitchwire.blogspot.com/2010/07/police-infiltrate-anarchists-and.html |website=SnitchWire}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Infiltrated! |url=https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/infiltrated |website=Briarpatch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=26 June 2012 |title=Julian Ichim hits police with $4M lawsuit for G20-related damages |url=http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/johnbon/2012/06/julian-ichim-hits-police-4m-lawsuit |website=rabble.ca}}</ref>