Anti-Fracking Protests in Canada

Anti- fracking protests breaks out in violence and bring up tension with aboriginal Canadians in mid-October. Protesters set fire to police cars and it quickly broke into around 100 officers attempting to control hundreds of protesters. It started when RCMP (Mounties) came in to take down barricades put up by the Elsipogtog First Nation Tribe of New Brunswick. Tribe members and protesters had been there for a week fighting against a shale gas exploration in the region. Fracking be environmentally controversial everywhere because even more of a hot button issue when being proposed on native land. 40 people were arrested for fire arms violations, mischief and various other offences, among the 40 was Aaron Sock, a First Nation Chief. Sock had issues and eviction notice to the gas company two weeks before demanding them to leave native land. The First Nation took action believing that the company was in violation of indigenous land rights and blocked of a highway connecting to major towns. When police where brought in the move protesters it quickly became a people vs. police situation. The RCMP said they were forced to take action when shots were fired and the protesters said that guns were drawn on them first. Susan Levi-Peters, former chief, said that    “It is really very volatile…It’s a head-to-head between the people and the RCMP right now and the warriors are in the middle surrounded by the RCMP and then the RCMP are surrounded by the people.” She also said things exculpated after Sock was arrested, pictures of him in handcuffs quickly going up on social media.