Lions Gate Bridge jammed by climate protesters Wednesday (PHOTOS)

Protestors pressuring the provincial government to end all old-growth logging in BC caused a traffic jam in Vancouver this morning. 

Around 14 protestors occupied lanes on the Lions Gate Bridge, but not for as long as they had hoped.

One of the lead organizers of Save Old Growth, Zain Haq, told Daily Hive Vancouver in a phone call the police were already there when they showed up. They were able to make arrests quickly.

For the time they were on the bridge, traffic was “backed up all the way into downtown,” said Haq.

BREAKING – LIONS GATE BRIDGE HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY SAVE OLD GROWTH SUPPORTERS pic.twitter.com/CAXFkYmxYk

— Save Old Growth (@saveoldgrowth) April 6, 2022

He said two people were arrested at about 9:10 am.

Just after 9:30 am, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) tweeted saying, “The protest on the Lion’s Gate Bridge from earlier this morning has now been cleared, and all lanes of traffic are now open.”

#VanTraffic: The protest on the Lion’s Gate Bridge from earlier this morning has now been cleared, and all lanes of traffic are now open. pic.twitter.com/AcOsomj6r4

— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 6, 2022

In an email to Daily Hive Vancouver, the VPD confirmed at 10:00 am “the protest has come to an end and the bridge is open in all directions.”

“Two men, 19 and 20 years old, were arrested,” police said.

“After warnings were given, everyone left the roadway except for two.  The two men jumped the barrier between the pedestrian path and the roadway.”

The group backed up traffic earlier this week, with April 4’s demonstration on the Iron Worker’s Bridge, according to a press release from Save Old Growth. On that day alone, 13 people were arrested in three BC cities.

Arrests being made on the bridge #SaveOldGrowth pic.twitter.com/LRmr1AHsSs

— Save Old Growth (@saveoldgrowth) April 4, 2022

Save Old Growth regularly organizes protests to bring attention to the importance of climate activism and the worsening of climate change.

They have been asking the province to pass legislation that immediately ends all old-growth logging in BC for months already, but have no plans of stopping.

“Following the first wave of disruptions in January, which resulted in 54 arrests, Save Old Growth had paused to give the government time to pass legislation,” says the press release.

“However, there has been no action or statement from the government and so disruption of the highways is resuming at an escalated intensity.”

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Part of the Trans-Canada Highway was also blocked in Revelstoke this morning.

On April 8, there will be more demonstrations on major routes that cause traffic disruptions in Vancouver, according to Haq. Victoria and Nanaimo will also see Save Old Growth protests.