Innu Riot over Housing at Sheshatshiu
March to June, 2004
March 11, Sheshatshiu (Innu Territory, Labrador, Canada) - Royal Candian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers were kicked out of this indigenous Innu community on March 10, after they came in to kidnap children from families who were occupying the office of Band Council Chief Paul Rich. About 12 people, six adults and six children, barricaded themselves in the office the day before because they have been denied housing for five and a half years and are outraged at the corruption of the Band Council. Six RCMP officers and officials from Child, Youth and Family Services broke into the office and tried to apprehend the children, but were repelled by about 50 to 60 family members who rushed down to support those occupying the office. Police used pepper-spray and electric taser guns on the crowd, but were forced to flee under a barrage of stones. According to corporate news, some officers were slightly injured, five police cars and the Band Council office was trashed. The cops were forced to drive away on the rims of their last two vehicles, as the tires had been slashed. A child was also injured by broken glass when the cops broke into the office.
"They started dragging everybody out of here, giving everybody a hard time, saying to us, 'This is private property,' " said one of the Innu women, "But you know this is the band council, this is our community."
"I just can't understand. Why can't we get a house from our chief and the council? I mean it's not fair for us to do this, we got no choice but to do this." said another woman.
Rich, of course denounced the families and pledged his support for the police. "We're behind the RCMP and the Child, Youth and Family Services to act on this. And we'll be supporting them every step of the way because if we let it go this time, you know, it's gonna happen again tomorrow," he said. The RCMP say they will make about 12 arrests
As is well known, the RCMP is an occupying colonial force, and removing indigenous children from their families is a form of genocide. Band Councils were created by the Canadian government to manage and control Native reserves.
The day after the clash, March 11, the Innu families gathered around a bonfire, burning files and furniture from the Band Council office.
This was not the first time that conflict has broken out over housing in the community. On January 7 of 2000 an Innu women moved her family into Chief Paul Rich's office and occupied it, since she had been waiting three years for the Band Council to allocate her a home.
The Innu Nation is well known for their struggle against a Canadian Forces Base and low-level jet-fighter training. Traditional Innu broke into and occupied the army base runway 19 times between 1988 and 1990, resulting in more than 100 arrests. There have also been several confrontations over industrial development. In 1996 the Innu prevented the construction of a nickle mine.
In 1993, the Innu community at Davis Inlet attacked a judge, trashed a police station and drove court officials off the reserve.
There is no hierarchy in traditional Innu culture, and no Chiefs or Presidents of any kind, as all forms of domination are considered to be extremely rude.
The Innu are tradionally a nomadic people and were not forced onto reservations until the 1960's. Since then, Innu communities have been forcefully relocated many times and a Roman Catholic church has been built in attempts to further assimilate the people. Many of the Innu involved in the struggle against the Canadian Forces Base also defied the government by leaving the reserves, reoccupying their land and teaching their traditional way of life to their children.
Innu reserves have the highest rates of suicide amongst indigenous communities anywhere in the world, and alcoholism and gas-huffing are rampant.
March 12, Sheshatshiu (Innu Territory, Labrador, Canada) - The Innu women and children who occupied the Band Council office on March 10 moved to a partially-built band-owned home in the community and vowed to stay there until their housing needs are adressed. RCMP officers and an Emergency Response Team from St. John's invaded the community at night and made nine arrests, including four men, three women and two young males. Their charges include assaulting a police officer, mischief and inciting a riot.
"We said we would come with full force to deal with this kind of a situation so anybody that is thinking about�ever doing this again, this is the outcome of what could happen," said Band Chief Paul Rich.
Supporters of the families are maintaining their occupation of the house. RCMP say they will continue to attack the community.
March 19, Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Innu Territory, Labrador, Canada) - Mary Angela Gregoire, one of the Innu mothers who occupied the Band Council office on March 9, was denied bail. She is being described by police and the corporate media as the "protest ringleader", despite the fact that social hierarchy and authority are disdained by traditional Innu people. She faces many charges, including theft and vandalism. An Innu teenager involved in the occupation was also remanded back to custody. Two other Innu were released. The nine arrested on March 12 will be back in court on March 29.
March 29, Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Innu Territory, Labrador, Canada) - Mary Angela Gregoire and two Innu youth are still in jail awaiting trial, after being refused bail on March 19. Mary Angela Gregoire, Kenneth Milley and Warwick Milley's trial will be in North West River on June 22. The trial date for the three youth who have been charged is set for May 15. Charges include assault on a police officer, theft, mischief and inciting a riot. Police are continuing their investigation and may lay more charges.
June 23, Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Labrador, Canada) - Two Innu women were sentenced to house arrest for their roles in a riot over the lack of housing on the Sheshatshiu reserve three months ago. Mary Angela Gregoire plead guilty to causing a disturbance, theft under $5,000, assault and breaching an undertaking. Charges against her for damaging the Band Council building and police vehicles were dropped. She was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to a convenience store that was looted and was sentenced to 10 months' house arrest. The Inuit judge went beyond the sentence recommended by the Crown prosecutor. The other woman, Sonya Milley, plead guilty to setting fire to a police car, mischief and causing a disturbance and was sentenced to six months' house arrest.