- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
SAN FRANCISCO — Several dozen Indigenous people and environmentalists took to the streets of San Francisco on Wednesday to bring attention to JPMorgan Chase’s ongoing financial support for oil pipelines.
At issue for the protesters is the bank’s financial support for the Coastal GasLink project, which is a $6 billion project of TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada Pipelines.
The protest assembled at JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters, where four Indigenous protesters locked themselves down and remained there until Thursday morning. The lockdown protest was organized by Abolish ICE SF in solidarity with other groups.
The Coastal GasLink pipeline route goes through several First Nations communities and the leaders are not happy. Last month, all five hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, a First Nation in Canada, evicted Coastal GasLink from their homeland. Tensions escalated as Wet’suwet’en citizens protested and resisted. Several arrests have been made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Indigenous and environmental groups in San Francisco say the pipeline project is directly connected to the San Francisco Bay area because it will pave the way for other projects, such as the TransMountain pipeline, a tar sands pipeline slated to go through Secwepemc territory. These pipelines are slated to increase the amount of oil flowing into the Bay area’s refineries and negatively impact the environment.
After the lockdown ended on Thursday, Abolish ICE SF posted the following message on its Facebook page:
“The Indigenous blockaders have decided that we want to leave on a strong note and save our energy to keep putting pressure and sustaining ourselves in the Wet’suwet’en work. After 17 hours of presence here, we are in being in high spirits and emboldened to continue this work in coming weeks, months, however long until Coastal GasLink is ended…In solidarity,”
Among the protesters were those wearing MMIW scarfs to bring attention to the epidemic crisis across Indian Country of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Though faced with the threat of arrest, there were no arrests at the lockdown.
Photos courtesy of Norm Sands (Yaqui/Apache) who is a member of Idle No More SF chapter and co-founder of MMIW/P of California.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
