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The chief of the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc First Nation has spoken out after a group of masked individuals she believes are white nationalists staged a demonstration on the reserve. Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir described the incident as a “complete surprise” and said community members are deeply shaken by what happened.
Video circulated on social media Sunday showing several people dressed in black clothing and hats, with white material covering their faces entirely. Casimir said the timing is particularly troubling, as the event occurred just days before September 30 — Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
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Community Members and Leadership Alarmed
Casimir told Global News that community members and reserve security both spotted the group and quickly took action. “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.
She estimated the group numbered between 20 and 30 individuals. She said they carried what appeared to be flags. “It is actually very disturbing,” Casimir said. “Basically, potentially, this is like a hate crime — especially coming just before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.”
Casimir said community members have every right to feel upset. She added that the demonstration takes away from the meaning of the day. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation traces its roots to Orange Shirt Day, which began in 2013 in Williams Lake, B.C. The day honours residential school survivors, their families, and those who never returned home.
Security and Police Respond
Reserve security asked the group to leave. Casimir confirmed that RCMP officers also arrived after security contacted them for backup. She said leadership has since held discussions with the Mounties, who have provided recent updates on the situation.
Casimir said the photographs she reviewed led her to believe the individuals belong to a group called the Second Sons of Canada. However, Global News did not independently confirm the identities of those involved or their affiliation with any organization. Kamloops RCMP did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
“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,” Casimir said.
Political Leaders Condemn the Protest
BC Premier David Eby quickly condemned the demonstration in a post on X. He said the province stands firmly 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 wrote.
Interim BC Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson also spoke out against the protest. “The white nationalist gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land this morning was hateful and meant to intimidate,” Doerkson posted on X. “It has no place in British Columbia.”
The incident has drawn widespread concern ahead of one of Canada’s most significant days of reflection and remembrance for Indigenous communities. Casimir and community leaders continue to monitor the situation closely.
