Traffic on three Nova Scotia highways slowed to a crawl on Thursday after several First Nations held protests following an RCMP raid of a cannabis shop in a Mi’kmaw community amid rising tensions over Mi’kmaw cannabis sales.
More than a dozen Cape Breton RCMP officers were trapped behind a barricade in Potlotek as community members protested the police raid in the First Nation located about 75 kilometres south of Sydney, N.S.
Employees of the Sikku Shop on Highway 4 said RCMP arrived early in the morning before the shop opened and broke down the door.
They loaded a U-Haul trailer with cannabis products, shelves and drink coolers and then took off, leaving other officers and their vehicles behind.
Eight RCMP vehicles were blocked in at the scene for about four hours as community members gathered on the road.
Later in the morning, other RCMP vehicles arrived at the scene, and the officers who had remained got out of their vehicles and walked out of the blockade carrying rifles and duffel bags.
The officers left quickly in unmarked SUVs as community members whooped and hollered.
Potlotek band councillor Mary Johnson said the community plans to maintain the blockade on Highway 4 until police return the products taken from the store.
Johnson said community members gathered after the raid to support each other.
“We’re just having a peaceful protest and want to be heard that the RCMP can’t just come into our community and do what they want to do.”
Shop employee Raylene Boyce said she’s glad community members are supporting the store owner and workers.
“It’s not just a job. It’s family,” she said.
Read the full article at CBC News
