For the second time in seven days, protestors blocked the Trans-Canada Highway in Nanaimo in an effort to halt old-growth logging practices occurring in British Columbia.
The demonstration was held at Comox Street and Terminal Avenue in Nanaimo starting at 11 a.m. on Monday, by a group ‘Save Old Growth’ — a direct action group that is calling on the BC government to end old-growth logging.
RCMP says that three people have been arrested in connection with the protest and that traffic is now moving in the area.
The group began demonstrations last week in both Victoria, Vancouver and Nanaimo, resulting in 12 people being arrested.
“The provincial government has failed to end all old-growth logging by our deadline of January 9,” read a statement from the group.
‘Save Old Growth,’ the campaign that is behind the protests, is an offshoot of the Extinction Rebellion, which is a civil resistance movement.
“On January 17, the Trans-Canada Highway will be blocked in Vancouver and Nanaimo, and then further in the week at different locations. Highway 1 off-ramps will continue to be blocked multiple times per week, and the frequency and scale of actions will escalate until all old-growth logging is stopped. The government has an option to fulfill its election promises or send nonviolent people on the motorways to jail,” said Brent Eichler, spokesperson for ‘Save Old Growth.’
Three people belonging to Save Old Growth have just been arrested after blocking one of Nanaimo’s busiest intersections. Protesters carrying signs and some wearing costumes sat down in the road at Terminal Avenue and Comox Road just minutes ago. Traffic is now moving @CHEK_News pic.twitter.com/RKyIY5dyPz
— Skye Ryan (@SkyeRyanCHEK) January 17, 2022
The group says it intends to continue blocking the highway in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Revelstoke in the coming weeks ahead.
“The Horgan government has mastered the bad political flip-flop having repeatedly made past election promises to protect old-growth forests and stop raw log exports, yet Nanaimo voters are far savvier than what the NDP flip-floppers have given them credit,” said Nanaimo spokesperson Vic Brice.
“Today we label them with the “f” word, and hope they realize we’ll be here shutting down the Trans-Canada to make it sink in until they show genuine intent to urgently act, instead of leaving workers and communities to tread water — or drown in the next clearcutting-related flooding disaster,” he added.
The area targeted in the Nanaimo protest last week was the intersection of Milton Street and Highway 1, and the protest lasted only about 15 minutes, according to Nanaimo RCMP.
Police said two adults were arrested on charges of mischief as a result of the protest.
“Shortly afterwards, the group dispersed without issue,” Nanaimo RCMP told CHEK News.
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