successfully managed to negotiate an end to the Mercier bridge blockades. On August 29 1990, agreement occurred for the Mercier Bridge to open. Once the bridge blockades became dismantled, the government began to invade the pines. The opening of the bridge by the Kahnawake people, struck a sense of abandonment to the Kanehsatake who openly expressed this in interviews. However, they reiterated that they as warriors were not prepared to surrender. The Mohawk people moved out of their bunkers within the pines as the army invaded. Remaining warriors retreated to a treatment center to make their last stand for their land claims. By 5:30, that evening the army had moved the Kanehsatake barricades. The army surrounded the entire treatment center…show more content… Alanis provides footage of these moments. You see a woman rocking her child by a fire and teacher her the dangers of items shot through the sky by the army calling them poisonous. While this occurs a women is signing a traditional song in soft tones like a lullaby. This scene may strike empathy, and sadness within the audience. Although much negotiation was attempted on Kanehsatakes part, a war zone environment grew as well did violence and hostility. Cornered and without many options other than deathly violent outcomes the indigenous warriors decided it was time to walk out, ultimately “surrender”. Through a traditional manner, the Indigenous warriors ceremonially dismantled and burnt their weapons before leaving the small area of pines they still successfully occupied, they would be beaten and attacked. Women and children were also subjected to the violence upon their “surrender”. A fourteen-year-old girl was bayoneted in her chest while protecting her four-year-old sister. Once again, Alanis provides real accounts of the situation to be shared, and shown through footage to allow audiences connect emotionally in their own way to the…show more content… This was the end to a 78-day protest and occupation of the pines that was known as the Oka crises. Throughout the film as the crisis, progressed journalists were told to leave, separated to a specific side of the crisis, and the repression of their freedom of speech was enforced. Footage was shared that showed the government denying providing or allowing medical treatment of a journalist because he was on the Kanehsatake side of the line. That for his health to be considered he must leave and not return. This tactic by the government seems as thou they did not want the Kanehsatake opinions, and side of the story to be available to the public. Journalist films were confiscated as journalist tried to flail them over the “line” from the Kanehsatake side. Restricting the right and freedom of speech, and allowing the army to dictate was shared on news, and in the papers. Two journalists actually snuck past the army and behind the blockades with a video camera after camera were removed. They stated they did so as some began to fear the government planned a massacre and removed all cameras so no one would be able to see what would happen. For a country that prides itself on its freedom for all peoples, many interesting decisions made by the armed
