Photo via @OsmichWhat started out as a peaceful demonstartion held by members of First Nations tribes turned into what resembled a war zone after the Canadian cops showed up with guns, Tasers, and dogs yesterday in New Brusnwick, Canada, leading to five police cars getting torched and 40 people being arrested on charges ranging from intimidation, uttering threats, and mischief.

The protesters had been blocking an entrace to a compound owned by SWN Resources since late September in protest of the oil company's plans to conduct seismic testing and potentially start fracking operations on tribal lands. On Thursday morning at around 7:30 AM, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP, a.k.a. the Mounties) went in to break up the blockade, but the protesters I spoke to in the aftermath claimed that the cops were much too aggressive and seemed out to spread terror and bust heads in what amounted to an ambush.

“We had no idea this was going to be happening. They showed up with guns in our faces this morning. It was terrifying. They even brought dogs with them today, it was so scary and unbelievable,” said Susan Levi-Perf, a member of the Mi’kmaq tribe. "I have never seen anything like this in Canada in my lifetime—I’ve [only] seen it on TV."

Photo via @01LBrown

Susan said the Mounties used force even when the protesters were clearly nonviolent. “A lot of women were attacked in the front line. One woman was praying and was maced in the eyes," she said. "They were shooting our people with rubber bullets—and we were there with just our drums and eagle feathers.”

MORE @ http://www.vice.com/read/did-the-rcmp-just-ambush-a-peaceful-native...