Mounties face online harassment from 'globally well-funded' Fairy Creek protesters, police union says
As the Fairy Creek blockade on southern Vancouver Island becomes the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history in terms of arrests, the national RCMP union says police have the support of the public.
On Thursday, the National Police Federation, which represents RCMP officers, released a survey it commissioned about the ongoing old-growth logging protests in the Fairy Creek watershed.
Since May, protesters have been arrested as they block logging company Teal Jones from a small old-growth cut block. A BC Supreme Court injunction has made it illegal for anyone to block industry in the area.
The survey by Pollara Strategic Insights found that 82 per cent of British Columbians agree the RCMP has a duty to enforce court injunctions.
It also showed those polled strongly believe protest is an important part of democracy.
“Our members have maintained their professionalism and composure against a steadily increasing barrage of verbal taunts; racial slurs; engineered physical barriers; human chains and bindings that threaten the health and safety of everyone in the area,” said Brian Sauvé, president of the National Police Federation, in a press release.
The union also says officers at the protest have faced online stalking and harassment from Fairy Creek activists and supporters.
“The protesters are extremely and globally well-funded, many of whom are highly experienced in media manipulation and propaganda, and they have demonstrated that they are increasingly desperate to intimidate our officers and mislead the public in their ongoing campaign against both the licensed forester and the Pacheedaht and Ditidaht First Nations upon whose traditional territory they are imposing,” said Sauvé.
CTV News reached out to the Rainforest Flying Squad, which represents old-growth logging activists and Indigenous land defenders at the remote blockade.
Noah Ross, a lawyer working with the group, says the survey indicates the RCMP is “trying to engage in a battle of public opinion” rather than simply enforcing the law.
“They feel like they’re losing the battle of public opinion and the reason they’re losing that is they’re going beyond their duty, which is to enforce the law, and they’re specifically trying to defeat the movement, which isn’t their job,” Ross said.
Protesters have said for weeks that the RCMP are escalating their tactics and putting activists in serious danger. Dozens of complaints have been sent to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.
Twenty-one per cent of survey respondents agreed with the statement: “The RCMP are overreacting to the protesters and need to be held accountable.”
CTV News asked the provincial government for its response to the survey.
"We respect people’s rights to protest peacefully in the Fairy Creek watershed," the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General said. "Enforcement action by the RCMP in response to the court decision is an operational matter for the RCMP and is entirely at arms length from government."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL has suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.