The chief of the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc First Nations says a group of masked individuals she believes are white nationalists held a demonstration on the reserve.
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she → say → reserve
Video surfaced online Sunday showing several individuals wearing black clothing and hats with white material covering their entire face.
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material → surface → face
Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir told Global News in an interview Sunday it was a “complete surprise” when the individuals showed up.
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individuals → tell → interview
“Community members as well as our security had observed them, they documented and they got a hold of the police, they informed leadership,” she said.
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she → observe → leadership
“Of course, many community members have seen them through social media at various locations and are very concerned.”
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members → see → locations
Casimir said with Sept. 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, approaching, it may have prompted this group’s appearance.
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it → say → appearance
She said the photos she saw were believed to be individuals belonging to the Second Sons of Canada.
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she → say → Canada
Global News has not independently confirmed the identities of the individuals or if they are associated with any group.
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they → confirm → group
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“It is actually very disturbing,” she said.
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she → get → news
“Basically, potentially, this is like hate crime, this is disturbing especially coming just before the National Day (for) Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.
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this → come → Day
For them, they have a lot of fear because this group, there was I don’t know, 20 to 30 of them, and they were wearing masks, they were wearing hats, they were carrying I think flags as well.
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I → have → flags
She told Global News people are upset and had the right to be upset because it’s taking away from the meaning of the day.
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it → tell → day
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation first began as Orange Shirt Day in 2013 in Williams Lake, B.C.
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Day → begin → Lake
It was established to honour residential school survivors, their families, and those who never returned home.
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who → establish → survivors
The group was asked to leave by security, with Casimir saying RCMP also arrived after being contacted to “back up” security.
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RCMP → ask → security
Casimir said they have had discussions with the RCMP, saying the Mounties have also provided them with recent updates.
“The presence of individuals associated with hate, intimidation and extremist ideology on or near our ancestral lands is deeply concerning to our community and to our leadership,” she said.
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she → say → leadership
Premier David Eby condemned the protest in a post on X, saying the province stands with Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc.
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province → condemn → Secwépemc
“White nationalists gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land to intimidate people is disgusting, dangerous and cowardly – as they hide their faces,” Eby said.
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Eby → gather → faces
Interim BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson also condemned the protest on X.
“The white nationalist gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land this morning was hateful and meant to intimidate.
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gathering → condemn → land
It has no place in British Columbia,” Doerkson said.
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Doerkson → have → Columbia
Global News has contacted Kamloops RCMP for more information, but did not receive a response by publication.
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News → contact → publication
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