West Shore RCMP is reaching out to the public in search of dashcam footage and witnesses as part of an investigation into a protest that disrupted traffic along the Trans Canada Highway earlier this month.
The blockade was established along the Malahat — near Goldstream Provincial Park — between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Police are turning to the public for video footage leading up to and throughout the protest in hopes of sourcing material pertaining to people and or vehicles that may have been involved with or assisting the protest.
West Shore RCMP says that it is taking these illegal demonstrations seriously and that police will be “considering the seizure of offence-related property during the course of the investigations, which may include the seizure of vehicles assisting or involved in the crimes for forfeiture.”
As part of the incident, demonstrators blocked traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway to protest old-growth logging.
READ MORE: Nanaimo man hospitalized on 24th day of hunger strike to protest old-growth logging
The group, called Save Old Growth, said it intended to block northbound traffic on the Malahat during the afternoon commute.
Pictures taken on April 20 from the scene of the blockade show that demonstrators erected some form of barrier in the middle of the roadway and the blockade resulted in backed-up traffic stretching down northbound lanes of the highway, all the way to Spencer Road.
The Trans Canada Highway blockade was just one in a series of traffic disruptions caused by the same group of people.
Anyone with information, video footage or who witnessed the protest on April 20 is being asked to contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264.
CHEK News
