Patrons may have noticed some peculiar costumes in downtown Victoria on Saturday as dozens of activists flooded the streets to protest the Prince Rupert gas transmission line.
On Feb. 7, people draped in crimson red robes and veils and donning white face paint walked through downtown Victoria, stopping at the office of MP Will Greaves and eventually making their way to the B.C. Legislature.
The costumes stem from the Red Rebel Brigade, which was spearheaded by performance artist Doug Fransico during Extinction Rebellion protests in the U.K., inspired by characters created for anti-Iraq war demonstrations in 2003 and a street performance troupe called ‘Blanco’ from the ‘90s.
“The choice of red as the Brigade’s colour was both esthetic and symbolic, evoking strong emotive responses. The response from the public and press exceeded expectations, turning them into a mobile photo shoot and providing a calming presence in tense situations,” noted the Red Rebel Brigade website.
Since its inception, Red Rebel Brigade chapters have opened across the globe, including in Victoria.
The proposed pipeline would likely run from Hudson’s Hope to the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG, a floating natural gas liquefaction and export facility planned for off the coast of Pearse Island north of Prince Rupert.
The pipeline would consist of both land-based and marine sections. Depending on the final route, it could include up to 780 kilometres of land-based pipeline and up to 120 kilometres of twin marine pipelines, according to the B.C. government.
“The PRGT pipeline is a project deeply rooted in a legacy of colonial coercion, exploitation, and manipulation. From its inception, this project has aimed to divide our people, using undisclosed payments to those willing to accept them while threatening injunctions and violence against those who stand in defence of their land,” noted a news release from the Lax’Yip Firekeepers, a Gitxsan youth-led organization that led the Saturday demonstration.
They noted that there are significant ecological concerns and strong opposition from Gitxsan and Gitanyow communities for the project, which was named among “major projects” that are expected to be fast-tracked by the federal government.
The export facility on Nisga’a territory would be near the Nass River estuary – home to what they say is one of the world’s largest salmon runs. If completed, the project would export 12 million tonnes of LNG annually, filling approximately 150 tankers, and traversing B.C.’s waters through critical whale habitat.
In 2024, the project was sold to the Nisga’a Nation in northwestern B.C. and the Texas-based Western LNG. Among the biggest of the project’s investors is Blackstone Inc., led by CEO and chairman Steve Schwarzman, a friend and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, and one of the Republican Party’s top 10 donors.
“Our ancestors protected our Lax’yip for thousands of years, and it is now our duty to do the same for future generations. We have a responsibility to safeguard the health of our lands and waters. Salmon is the lifeblood of our people and the PRGT pipeline threatens our food security, our culture, and our survival in an already rapidly changing climate,” noted Gitanyow activist Simogyet Gamlakyeltxw.
At a board meeting of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George on Dec. 11, directors heard that 15 of 20 First Nations along the corridor have signed agreements with equity opportunities. A final investment decision from the government is expected this year.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: bailey.seymour@vicnews.com