It was slow going for motorists on highway 10 near Balcarres this afternoon.
Idle No More protestors staged a three hour highway slowdown in a show of solidarity for the Elsipogtog first nation north of Moncton New Brunswick.
About a dozen members of the band were arrested yesterday during a violent confrontation with RCMP over a native blockade protesting natural gas exploration on first nations land.
Last night in Regina, about 80 members of the Idle No More movement descended on RCMP headquarters to protest the way mounties handled the New Brunswick situation.
Local organizer, Jason Bird, says the protest accomplished its objective.
“We only wanted to get out there to be seen and be heard. That was really the only goal. It made it across, it made it into newspapers and we just wanted to show the people of Elsipogtog we saw you and we’re doing something as well.”
About 60 Idle No More supporters rallied in front of the University of Saskatchewan this morning and they are scheduled to meet again this evening at 5:30 p.m. on Broadway Avenue.
Erica Lee, one of the local organizers, says the Saskatchewan Idle No More movement feels it is important to show its support for what is currently happening on the East Coast.
“The media tends to portray the people who are resisting as violent protesters when in reality all they’re doing is protecting the land.”
Bird says more actions are planned over the coming weeks in Saskatchewan.