More protesters arrested at Trans Mountain drill site
By Castlegar Source
On Oct.15, at approximately 12:40 p.m., officers from the Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG), Division Liaison Team (DLT), and Kamloops RCMP responded to a report that a number of demonstrators had gathered at a Trans Mountain (TMX) drill site on Mission Flats Road in Kamloops, and were blocking work trucks from driving through the facility gate.
DLT officers attempted to engage the demonstrators when three refused to move away from the gate; a 69-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 57-year-old woman who had tied her arm to the fence with a zap strap.
TMX security staff advised the group of the court-ordered injunction in effect, confirming the demonstration was interfering with their work. C-IRG officers read the BC Supreme Court injunction to the three individuals who remained at the gate and were arrested for allegedly being in civil contempt of the Court Order issued on June 1, 2018.
Meanwhile, a second group of demonstrators were gathered and blocking an active work site on the south mountain slope. A 43-year-old woman was arrested by C-IRG for allegedly breaching the court-ordered injunction after she refused to leave and attached herself to a bulldozer.
All four arrested were transported to Kamloops RCMP Detachment for processing and released on condition. They are scheduled to appear in court on January 20, 2021.
A fifth individual, a 32-year-old woman, was observed destroying survey stakes across the road from the drill site, and was subsequently arrested by Kamloops RCMP for Mischief. She was released without charges.
A reminder that demonstrators have the right to peaceful, lawful and safe protest and companies have a lawful right to complete their mandated work. The RCMP is working hard to protect both of these rights and ensure all parties and public are kept safe.
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