On May 11, two peaceful prehistoric protestors allegedly breached the draconian injunction zone of the Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline in Burnaby, BC, to set up a friendly game of badminton in the construction pit. Without giving these Dino’s an opportunity to leave, security cornered them and told them any attempt to leave before the police arrived would be met with physical force. The RCMP arrived and arrested the dinosaurs, who are both now facing charges of criminal mischief and up to two years in prison. They need to hire a criminal defence lawyer to help with their case but cannot afford the legal fees (it’s hard for Dino’s to open a bank account). 

These dinos are eco justice warriors with a deep understanding of the threat of extinction posed by climate change, dedicated to protecting the land and water for future generations by keeping our bones (bitumen) in the ground. They recognize that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recently ordered Canada to immediately halt construction of the TransMountain pipeline due to its violation of Indigenous rights and the genocidal consequences it represents. They also heard the UN Secretary General recently state that it is not climate activists who are the dangerous radicals, but rather the states and corporations that continue to expand fossil fuel infrastructure as our communities begin to suffer from the wildfires, flooding, heat domes, and food shortages that will characterize life in the climate crisis. 

Dino court will take place on Sept. 26, 2022. T.Rex against TMX are youth- and Indigenous-led, being criminalized by Canada and facing jail time for standing up to protect their right to a safe and secure future. This pipeline is being built on unceded Indigenous lands without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of the rightful title-holders. Help us fight these charges and minimize our sentences for standing up for clean water, fresh air, human rights, and a healthy Lower Mainland.

Any unused funds will be redistributed to other Indigenous land defenders facing criminal charges for standing up to the Trans Mountain pipeline in need of legal aid.