6 more arrested at old-growth logging blockades on Vancouver Island
Six more people were arrested at old-growth logging blockades on southern Vancouver Island on Monday, according to protesters and the RCMP.
The arrests occurred at an encampment near Port Renfrew, where blockaders were removed for breaching the court injunction prohibiting interference with logging activities in the Fairy Creek watershed.
Police say specially trained officers removed protesters from various locks and tripod devices. The demonstrators described some of the devices in a Facebook post confirming the arrests Tuesday.
“First we had a standard sleeping dragon – in which a person has their arm locked into a cemented hole in the ground,” said the post from the Fairy Creek Blockade group. “Police extracted this person with a backhoe and jackhammer, digging nearly 4 feet into the ground. After this was an owl’s nest – a person suspended high above the ground on a solitary post.”
The activists also describe members chaining themselves to “a giant rock over a hole” as a means to delay their removal by police.
“The extraction of these six defenders took all day with plenty more left untouched,” the group said.
The RCMP say 260 people have been arrested since enforcement of the injunction began in May.
Of those arrests, 208 were for breaching the injunction, 46 were for obstruction, four were for mischief, one was for counselling to resist arrest and one was for assaulting a police officer, according to a statement from the RCMP.
Protesters have been camped out in the Fairy Creek watershed since last summer in defense of what they describe as some of the last unprotected old-growth forest on southern Vancouver Island.
Demonstrations and blockades have continued in the region even after the provincial government granted a request from the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht First Nations to postpone old-growth logging on more than 2,000 hectares of land in the Fairy Creek and central Walbran areas for the next two years.
The protesters are demanding an end to all logging in old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post’s newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature “melt-in-your-mouth” desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Canada's real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.