Supporters of a high profile Fairy Creek protester banged drums and crowded the street in front of Nanaimo’s courthouse Thursday, as Angela Davidson, who calls herself Rainbow Eyez, arrived for her sentencing hearing.
“Thank you all for coming, we’re here to stand for the trees,” said Davidson as she addressed the crowd of about 50 supporters.
The 37-year-old Kwakwaka’wawk woman is the serving deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada. But from 2021 to 2022 she was a vocal, lead protester at the Fairy Creek protests, where she was repeatedly arrested by RCMP then ignored court orders, including house arrest, to keep her away from the volatile scene where she climbed on logging equipment, chained herself to logging gates, brought food to camps and encouraged others to join the six-month long action in the woods.
Yet Thursday, Davidson was still defiant.
“I’m feeling the same way I felt when I got arrested for the first time. I feel so ready for it because of this,” she said.
Davidson was convicted of seven counts of criminal contempt of court between 2021 and 2022. Her defence has asked for the Indigenous woman to be sentenced to time served and 75 hours community service, while the Crown is calling for 51 days of jail time (minus 12 days previously served) and community service.
But Chief Justice Cristopher Hinkson, who is deciding the sentence, reminded Crown counsel that previous comparable cases of repeated contempt of court have resulted in sentences of up to 10 months in jail.
Referrring to Davidson’s “flaunting” disregard for court orders as aggravating factors, Hinkson said: “She just scrapped those aside” and that “her behaviour continued unabated.”
“I’m ready for jail. But we’re hoping that natural law and Indigenous law is able to open the Chief Justice’s heart,” said Davidson.
However, Davidson’s defence offered no evidence at trial at what that “natural law” she referred to is. The sentencing hearing is expected to continue on Friday.
Skye Ryan
