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Anatomy of a protest
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FRIDAY JULY 6 2018
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Police perform aerial arrests of protesters
CRIME
Driver runs over Mountie and flees
Seven people hung from bridge for 36 hours to block tankers Jane Seyd
editorial@burnabynow.com
Police moved in Wednesday afternoon to remove seven Greenpeace protesters who had been hanging from the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge for two days, stopping an oil tanker from passing underneath the bridge. An “aerial extraction team” from the RCMP’s emergency response team climbed up to the catwalk underneath the bridge deck. Will George, a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, was one of the protesters lowered from the bridge onto a waiting boat. George posted a live video from his hammock sling underneath the bridge, describing how the police team was beginning preparations to remove the protesters. North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong said police moved in to remove the protesters based on potential danger to themselves, public mischief and the fact they were “jeopardizing the safety of a vessel” under the Canada Shipping Act. Alex Speers-Roesch, head of the anti-oil campaign for Greenpeace Canada, said the group had been in discussions with police over the 36 hours the protesters hung from the bridge and had been warned that a team would likely move in to extract them if the pro-
testers didn’t come down on their own. “The climbers decided to stay in place,” he said. Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for Trans Mountain confirmed that the tanker Serene Sea had finished loading and departed the Westridge Terminal in Burnaby “waiting for suitable conditions.” Earlier Wednesday morning, George described his chilly night in a hammock hanging over Burrard Inlet. George said his time hanging from the bridge wasn’t comfortable but was quite peaceful. “I treat it like a ceremony,” he said. ”Our people have been here for centuries.” George said his 18 years as a commercial window washer cleaning windows of highrise buildings prepared him to hang from the bridge by a rope, high above Burrard Inlet. George said he brought smoked salmon, along with power bars, peanuts and pepperoni to eat and had water while hanging from the bridge. Official Greenpeace spokesperson Jesse Firempong said protesters had a “hygenic system in place for storing waste” while hanging from the ropes. George put it in simpler terms. “For number 1, just lean over. For number 2 – that’s why I didn’t bring much food.”
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Cornelia Naylor
cnaylor@burnabynow.com
AERIAL ARREST: A member of the RCMP’s ‘aerial extraction team’ is lowered down to arrest one of seven protesters who had been hanging under the Ironworkers bridge for two days. PHOTO CORNELIA NAYLOR
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What started as a distracted-driving stop in Burnaby Wednesday morning ended in a hitand-run that sent a local Mountie to hospital with a broken arm. The officer, on foot, attempted to stop a grey Dodge Nitro SUV at about 10 a.m. at the corner of Willingdon Avenue and Parker Street because the driver appeared to be using an electronic device behind the wheel, according to police. The officer signalled for the driver to pull over, police said, but the man ignored her and took off southbound on Willingdon instead – hitting the Mountie in the process. Burnaby RCMP are now searching for the suspect, described as a South Asian man with a heavy build, a shaved head and a tattoo on his left arm. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants. “We’d ask that the driver of the vehicle that struck this officer to do the right thing and contact police,” Burnaby RCMP Supt. Chuck McDonald stated in a press release. Police are asking that anyone with information on the suspect or suspect vehicle to please contact Burnaby RCMP at 604646-9999. To remain anonymous with a tip, contact Crimestoppers at 1-800222-TIPS (8477).
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