Pipeline protesters block major Vancouver intersection
Posted March 3, 2021 9:01 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Opponents of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion have taken over the intersection of Hastings Street and Clark Drive in Vancouver, blocking an entrance to the port.
A post on the Instagram page for the ‘Braided Warriors’ activist group says the protest was in response to the sentencing of a fellow pipeline protestor, Stacy Gallagher, to jail-time.
“We are here holding space in solidarity with our uncle, with our loved one, with our relative, who has been sentenced to 90 days in prison during a global pandemic,” one protester says in a video posted to the social media account.
Demonstrators say the Indigenous person was “unlawfully convicted of criminal contempt of the court.” They have been calling for more people to join them to show support.
The protest has been blocking the intersection since about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Demonstrators remained in the intersection into Wednesday morning.
This is not the first time the intersection of Hastings and Clark has been blocked by pipeline protesters. Pipeline protesters blocked access to the Port of Vancouver a number of times early last year. They were served with an injunction but returned.
There have also been blockades of other intersections in Vancouver, including Cambie and Broadway.
More recently, Indigenous-led pipeline protests took place outside the offices of AIG Insurance in the downtown area. AIG is providing coverage to the Trans Mountain pipeline project.
