Protesters removed from Ironworkers Memorial Bridge
Posted July 4, 2018 2:50 pm.
Last Updated July 4, 2018 7:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER – Greenpeace Canada says a protest that saw a dozen protesters dangling from a Vancouver bridge to block a tanker carrying crude oil from the Trans Mountain pipeline ended Wednesday night.
The environmental group says the climbers who spent more than 35 hours on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge were “peacefully removed from their positions” and taken to the North Vancouver RCMP detachment.
According to the organization, the team of climbers has been successful in their attempts to prevent the Kinder Morgan barge from getting by and have spent more than 34 hours suspended above the water.
One of the protesters told those watching the Greenpeace live feed that she is disappointed.
“I’m feeling frustrated that this state is continuing to uphold the travel of oil tankers and continuing to allow the travel of these super tankers through such a beautiful part of the world,” she says.
The RCMP had earlier said all would likely be charged with mischief and jeopardizing the safety of a vessel.
North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong said an aerial extraction team began removing and arresting the protesters in the afternoon in what he called a methodic and safe operation.
The protest began Tuesday morning when activists rappelled off the side of the bridge to block the Serene Sea, a vessel loaded with crude oil that had left from Kinder Morgan Canada’s Westridge Marine Terminal.
The protest was focused only on the Serene Sea but authorities responded by closing all tanker traffic in the area, said Jesse Firempong, a Greenpeace spokeswoman.
