Houston RCMP officers are investigating after 20 axe-wielding anti-pipeline protesters allegedly attacked a Coastal GasLink site in the Northern Interior of BC on February 17, shortly after midnight.
Police are calling the incident a “violent confrontation” along the Marten Forest Service Road.
RCMP say that some of the protesters attacked security guards at the site, and smashed their windows.
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According to the RCMP, initial reports suggested that some Coastal GasLink employees were trapped, but they had all managed to leave the area safely.
When officers arrived on scene, they discovered that the roadway had been blocked with “downed trees, tar covered stumps, wire, boards with spikes in them, and fires had been lit throughout the debris.”
Things escalated as officers worked their way through traps, when protesters began throwing smoke bombs and fire lit sticks at police. One officer was injured.
Some machinery and equipment on the site were also damaged, and the cost is believed to be extensive.
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The area is roughly a 13 hour drive from Vancouver.
Houston RCMP
Houston RCMP
“This is a very troubling escalation in violent criminal activity that could have resulted in serious injury or death. This was a calculated and organized violent attack that left victims shaken and a multimillion dollar path of destruction,” said Chief Superintendent Warren Brown, North District Commander in a statement.
“While we respect everyone’s right to peacefully protest in Canada, we cannot tolerate this type of extreme violence and intimidation. Our investigators will work tirelessly to identify the culprits and hold them accountable for their actions.”
BC’s Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth released a statement about the violence.
“The BC Government emphatically condemns the violence and destruction perpetrated near the Morice River drill pad site off the Marten Forest Service Road,” said Farnworth.
“There is no excuse for such violence and intimidation. All workers deserve to be protected from harassment and harm.”
The RCMP has not revealed a motive behind this violent incident, and have put out an appeal to the public. Anyone who may have more information is being asked to call the Houston RCMP at 250-845-2204.
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