WATCH: There were more arrests today on Burnaby Mountain, where anti-pipeline demonstrators are protesting Kinder Morgan’s proposed pipeline expansion. And as Jeremy Hunka reports, there are new allegations about police aggression.
Several protesters were arrested Sunday attempting to stop Kinder Morgan from doing survey work on Burnaby Mountain. The new arrests came a day after 16 protesters were taken into custody Saturday.
Late Saturday morning, a group of protesters walked up to the injunction area. RCMP officers allowed a First Nations elder and two colleagues to cross the line to tend to a sacred fire. Other protesters soon tried to cross the line and were arrested.
In total, 53 people have now been arrested at the site over the last three days, with most arrested peacefully and under civil contempt charges.
Related: 11-year-old Burnaby Mountain protester willing to risk arrest
However, there have isolated incidents of violence. Burnaby RCMP have arrested one man for assault for spitting at a police officer, while protesters have circulated a photo that appears to show an officer choking one of their own. Burnaby RCMP spokesman S/Sgt. Major John Buis told reporters he was “not in a position to comment on that photograph.”
Eight protesters were arrested Friday, including Simon Fraser University professor Lynne Quarmby, a defendant in the injunction ruling.
Saturday afternoon, Burnaby RCMP announced that Centennial Way will be closed to vehicle protests for the duration of the protests.
But protesters say they’ll stay on Burnaby Mountain for as long as crews continue to survey the area and drill two 250-metre holes.
That work could take up to 10 days.
A large group of protesters from Vancouver Island plan to make their way to Burnaby Mountain.
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