RCMP carry away elderly TMX protester in Burnaby

Photo: Twitter/PPSTMX

Another person was arrested Thursday as police continue to clear out people occupying trees in Burnaby to protest the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.

The demonstrator had trespassed into a fenced area on private property owned by BNSF Railway, in violation of a court injunction stating they could not obstruct, impede, or otherwise prevent access to Trans Mountain work sites.

Video showed one person being carried away by police on Thursday.

“The demonstrator was given the opportunity to leave the area voluntarily, but chose not to,” said police. She was safely arrested just before 10 a.m.

“Burnaby RCMP would like to take this moment to remind those who are involved in ongoing demonstrations that police are an impartial party and are there to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” said a police news release.

Earlier in the week, a person occupying one of the trees in Burnaby was arrested. Police in tactical gear are using a lift bucket machine to reach protesters in the trees.

On Friday morning, the group Protect the Planet – Stop TMX said two people had “locked themselves down to the ground” at the tree-occupation site, located west of North Road and south of Highway 1 in Burnaby.

“This is a tactic also used at Fairy Creek, known as a soft block,” said a news release from the group, adding that they expect more people to be arrested today.

The aim is to prevent Trans Mountain workers from cutting the trees. The project will see more than 1,300 trees cut down in the area.