17 arrested for blocking BC interior logging operation: RCMP – Okanagan

Several protesters were arrested earlier this week, according to police, for blocking a logging operation in the interior of British Columbia.

RCMP say 17 people were arrested on Tuesday for violating a court-ordered injunction in the area known as Salisbury Creek, near the small community of Argenta in the Kootenays.

Argenta is located on the northeast shore of Kootenay Lake, approximately 120 km north of Creston.

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Three arrested at blockade of logging site in southeastern British Columbia: police

And on the group’s Facebook pagehe says more than 30 RCMP officers were on the scene to make the arrests.

Police say the injunction was granted to Cooper Creek Cedar Ltd., on August 27, 2019, so it could conduct logging operations in the Salisbury Creek area.

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RCMP said the order prevents anyone from physically preventing or interfering with Cooper Creek Cedar’s logging operations in and around Salisbury Creek.

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Last month, on April 25, police said they received reports of protesters blocking the Salisbury Creek Forest Service Road, about 50km north of Kaslo.

“A police officer from the Kaslo RCMP detachment came forward to advise the group that they were in violation of the restraining order, a copy of which was provided,” the RCMP said.

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“The officer visited the site for the next two days to advise the group that he would face arrest for mischief and contempt of court if he continued to block.”

Police added that members of a liaison team had tried to peacefully remove protesters during the first week of May.

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And on May 17, police enforced the injunction, “resulting in the arrest of 17 people for civil contempt of court, one of whom was removed from a locking device.”

RCMP said of the 17 people arrested, eight were conditionally released with a July 19 court date, while the remaining nine were transported to Kaslo for processing. According to the police, these nine people have since been released.