Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc chief says ‘white nationalist’ group protested on reserve

The chief of the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc First Nations says a group of masked individuals she believes are white nationalists held a demonstration on the reserve.

Video surfaced online Sunday showing several individuals wearing black clothing and hats with white material covering their entire face.

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir told Global News in an interview Sunday it was a “complete surprise” when the individuals showed up.

“Community members as well as our security had observed them, they documented and they got a hold of the police, they informed leadership,” she said. “Of course, many community members have seen them through social media at various locations and are very concerned.”

Casimir said with Sept. 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, approaching, it may have prompted this group’s appearance.

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She said the photos she saw were believed to be individuals belonging to the Second Sons of Canada. Global News has not independently confirmed the identities of the individuals or if they are associated with any group.

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“It is actually very disturbing,” she said. “Basically, potentially, this is like hate crime, this is disturbing especially coming just before the National Day (for) Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. For them, they have a lot of fear because this group, there was I don’t know, 20 to 30 of them, and they were wearing masks, they were wearing hats, they were carrying I think flags as well.”

She told Global News people are upset and had the right to be upset because it’s taking away from the meaning of the day.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation first began as Orange Shirt Day in 2013 in Williams Lake, B.C. It was established to honour residential school survivors, their families, and those who never returned home.

The group was asked to leave by security, with Casimir saying RCMP also arrived after being contacted to “back up” security.

Casimir said they have had discussions with the RCMP, saying the Mounties have also provided them with recent updates.

“The presence of individuals associated with hate, intimidation and extremist ideology on or near our ancestral lands is deeply concerning to our community and to our leadership,” she said.

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Premier David Eby condemned the protest in a post on X, saying the province stands with Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc.

“White nationalists gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land to intimidate people is disgusting, dangerous and cowardly – as they hide their faces,” Eby said.

Interim BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson also condemned the protest on X.

“The white nationalist gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land this morning was hateful and meant to intimidate. It has no place in British Columbia,” Doerkson said.

Global News has contacted Kamloops RCMP for more information, but did not receive a response by publication.