Planned protest shuts downtown portion of Columbia Avenue
By Castlegar Source
Castlegar RCMP were made aware of a protest planned for Saturday, June 12, 2021. Protestors gathered outside the Castlegar RCMP Detachment and Castlegar City Hall building in protest of old growth logging in BC. The group of demonstrators came prepared to camp overnight disrupting both lanes of Columbia Avenue. Both lanes of travel in the 400 block of Columbia Avenue are closed and traffic is being diverted.
Public safety will be top-of-mind for police as they balance compliance of the current Provincial Health Order with peoples’ right to protest.
“Public safety, police officer safety and the right to peaceful, lawful and safe protest are priorities of the police,” said Sgt. Monty Taylor, Detachment Commander of the Castlegar RCMP.
On May 31,, a similar protest was held in the area and as a result, four individuals, who refused to vacate the highway, were arrested by police.
For information on the current Provincial Health Order, go to https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/covid-19/covid-19-pho-order-gatherings-events.pdf
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