RCMP say damage to police vehicles in First Nations protest includes ‘urine-soaked interior surfaces’

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RCMP say six of their vehicles that were left at the Potlotek First Nation Thursday after officers left the scene on foot suffered damage that includes broken windows, flat tires, “urine-soaked interior surfaces” and dents.

In a news release issued Friday, RCMP said seven vehicles, including the six damaged ones, were removed from the Cape Breton community this morning. Some vehicles even had their tires removed, police said.

Police were on scene Thursday to carry out a search warrant. They seized cannabis products and arrested two people.

Employees of the Sikku Shop in the community said RCMP broke down the door and loaded a U-Haul trailer with cannabis products on Thursday morning.

RCMP vehicles were then blocked in at the scene for hours as community members gathered on the road.

One lane of a two-lane highway is blocked by people holding Mi'kmaq flags — Members of Sipekne’katik First Nation shut down one lane of Highway 102 southbound from Truro to Halifax in protest of an RCMP raid on a cannabis truckhouse at Potlotek First Nation in Cape Breton on Thursday. (Blair Rhodes/CBC)

The release said RCMP members removed the weapons from their vehicles and left on foot.

The cannabis raid prompted a series of protests from First Nations communities along four highways that slowed travel around parts of the province on Thursday. The highways have since reopened.

RCMP say that Highway 4 in Potlotek First Nation reopened this morning after they worked with community members to remove the blockade.

Highway 105 by Whycocomagh, Highway 104 at Paqtnkek and Highway 102 at Shubenacadie reopened last night.

A photo shows a black vehicle with broken windows and its tires removed. — RCMP say the damage to the vehicle included broken windows and tires being removed from an unspecified number of vehicles. (RCMP)

Millbrook First Nation posted a letter to social media Thursday about the raids. The letter, signed by the chief and representing band council, said they’re “deeply concerned by recent police raids on cannabis stores in numerous Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia.

“Through its words and actions, this government has made clear they are attempting to forcibly and unlawfully impose provincial control of cannabis sales on Mi’kmaw communities.”

The letter also says Mi’kmaw chiefs “have repeatedly urged the Provincial Government to work collaboratively to develop a regime for the sale of cannabis that respects our rights of self-determination, and our treaty rights.”

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