13 more arrested at B.C. old-growth logging blockades, despite deferral notice

LAKE COWICHAN, B.C. -

Another 13 people have been arrested at anti-logging blockades on southwestern Vancouver Island, bringing the total of number of arrests to 185, at least nine of whom have been arrested more than once.

RCMP began enforcing a British Columbia court injunction ordering the removal of blockades aimed at preventing old-growth logging on May 17.

Of those arrested Monday at an encampment area near Port Renfrew, 11 have been charged with breaching the injunction, and two for obstruction.

The injunction is to allow workers with the Teal-Jones Group to resume logging in that area and in the Fairy Creek watershed to the south.

Activists say very little of the best old-growth forest remains in B.C., and Fairy Creek is the last unprotected, intact old-growth valley on southern Vancouver Island.

Teal-Jones has said it plans to harvest about 20 hectares at the north ridge of the 1,200-hectare watershed out of 200 available for harvest.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2021.