By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA, (Reuters) – Canadian police prepared on Thursday to expel indigenous protesters from the site TC Energy’s Coastal GasLink Pipeline in British Columbia. This is a controversial development that has been opposed for some time by First Nations groups.

Gidimt’en, one of these clans said that it ordered workers from the company to vacate a camp north of the province. The camp was located on their territory. Coastal claims it’s allowed to continue working on the pipeline.

British Columbia’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police stated that some demonstrators were violating the law, vandalizing equipment, and destroying roads. It also stated that they were blocking vital supplies.

Chief Superintendent John Brewer stated that they were hopeful of finding a solution without police enforcement. “We are mobilizing resources to rescue missions,” Brewer added.

The five clans representing the Wet’suwet’en have tried for over a year, through their hereditary chiefs, to stop construction.

All 20 indigenous bands councils located along Coastal GasLink’s 415-mile (670 km) route back the project. The Wet’suwet’en chiefs of hereditary say that they are the ones who have authority over traditional lands and not elected representatives.

Coastal, which is owned by private equity firm KKR & Co (NYSE:) Inc, Alberta Investment Management Corp and TC, says it is allowed to work on the pipeline, citing an injunction granted by the British Columbia Supreme Court in 2019 against blockades preventing access for workers. It claims the protests were illegal, putting its 500-strong workforce in danger.

“It is unfortunate that the RCMP must take this step so that lawful access to our lodges and public forestry roads can  be restored,” it said in a statement, adding that the protestors “had no interest in dialogue.”

On Sunday, a social media account for the Gidimt’en Blockade posted that 30 to 50 officers from police had landed in a local airport.

It stated that helicopters had circled around our camp, performing low, deliberate surveillance flights… they will not retreat.”

The Gidimt’en stated that the Province sent busloads to police Wet’suwet’en protectors of water, and they also acted as a mercenary force to oil and gas. They claimed the construction of the pipeline would pollute the water supply and cause environmental destruction.