Committee to Protect Journalists expresses concern regarding treatment of journalists covering protests against a pipeline in Wet’suwet’en territory
"CPJ calls on Canadian police to allow journalists to freely cover matters of public interest," 16 March 2020
[We]... write to express our concern at the treatment of journalists covering protests against the construction of a gas pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory, and the arrest of at least one of these journalists. Rather than threatening journalists, we urge you to allow them to do their job and report freely on matters of public interest... On February 24, filmmaker Melissa Cox was arrested while documenting the blockade on a train track near New Hazelton, British Columbia. Separately, several journalists have been threatened with arrest for covering the removal of protesters by police following the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s February 6announcement that it would begin enforcing a court-ordered injunction against people interfering with construction around the Coastal GasLink project.
... [We hope] you refrain from charging Melissa Cox during her April 24 hearing and make clear that critical reporting does not carry a legal penalty. We also urge you to allow reporters to cover matters of public interest without fear of retaliation.