Protesters rally in Vancouver, block traffic at several major intersections
Posted February 19, 2020 5:35 pm.
Last Updated February 20, 2020 5:41 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Pre-emptive action by TransLink to secure a court injunction may have saved transit commuters a ton of time getting home Wednesday evening, but protesters supporting Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs opposing a natural gas pipeline took to the streets instead.
As a result of the demonstration, many drivers were stuck in traffic.
“This was a protest that started at the intersection of Commercial and Broadway that did start in the intersection. That protest that moved all the way down Broadway, stopped at Clark went down Clark and stopped. That then created a very large traffic jam over East 1st, particularly down Terminal,” CityNews Vancouver’s David Zura said. “Protesters then moved up East First, came back down Commercial and then returned back to where it started. Transit, however, not really affected.”
The protest at Cambie/Broadway has just shut down the intersection.
Police are now redirecting traffic. pic.twitter.com/ETE4RqlRR7
— David Zura (@DavidZuraCityTV) February 20, 2020
He said the group would momentarily snarl traffic at several intersections, before returning to Commercial and Broadway.
Protest continues to move.
They started at Commercial/Broadway, then walked to Broadway/Clarke.
Now they’ve just started heading north down Clarke.@VancouverPD are diverting traffic. pic.twitter.com/3ArVVkr2vx
— David Zura (@DavidZuraCityTV) February 20, 2020
“That march just kept moving through the city and then stopping periodically. It started over at Commercial and Broadway where the initial protest was, then it moved down Broadway stopped over at Clark,” he said.
It’s over.
Protesters have concluded a march around the city of #Vancouver that started at about 5pm.
Organizers have delivered final remarks and we’re seeing the crowd gradually clear the intersection.
Looks like it could be reopen within minutes. pic.twitter.com/RTaKrj4pbf
— David Zura (@DavidZuraCityTV) February 20, 2020
More than 200 protesters gathered at around 5:00 p.m. and disbanded following the march at around 7:15 p.m.
No one was arrested and Vancouver Police officers were on scene to direct traffic.
TransLink was granted an injunction on Thursday to prevent protesters from physically obstructing, interfering or impeding its SkyTrain facilities.
“While TransLink supports the right to peaceful protest, the safety of our customers and our staff is our priority and we must protect the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the Expo, Millennium, and Canada Lines,” the transit authority said.
TransLink initially sought to prevent protesters from occupying any of its facilities. Its lawyers listed safety as their prime concern for the injunction.