Global BC drew a frosty — and even hostile — reception on Monday as it visited a protest camp that’s been set up to oppose the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline.
Earlier in the day, reporter Jordan Armstrong tweeted an observation that an “anarchist element now wields more power at the once-friendly anti-Kinder Morgan camp in Burnaby.”
LISTEN: Global BC reporter says crew threatened with violence at Kinder Morgan protest camp
He said a news crew was “threatened with violence, accused of racism and told not to film” on public property when they were present at the camp, so they left.
WATCH: The protest site for Kinder Morgan demonstrators in Burnaby, BC has turned into a makeshift camp. And as Jordan Armstrong reports, the protesters threatened a Global News crew with violence.
Global BC later visited the camp again and was told to turn off its camera, even though the news crew was filming in a public place.
Demonstrators said they had put up signs saying: “no photos.”
One sign there said: “Take no photos of fire. Thank you.”
“Can you please just like leave and turn off the camera?” one person at the camp said.
Global BC was interested in learning about a new structure that was being built at the camp.
The crew also wanted to talk about temporary concrete barriers that had been installed near the camp after protesters and area residents complained about the safety of their vehicles.
WATCH: Protesters are still at the Kinder Morgan site on Burnaby Mountain, hoping to stop the pipeline. But it seems the mood is starting to shift. Jordan Armstrong explains.
No answers were provided from the people who were there.
“Just have some sensitivity,” said one person.
There wasn’t much talk about the pipeline specifically on Monday, but one woman who spoke to Global BC at length, and who did not give her name, questioned how media have covered anti-Kinder Morgan demonstrations.
Coverage of Kinder Morgan on Globalnews.ca:
READ MORE: Federal government to intervene in B.C.’s Tarns Mountain pipeline reference question
“When you’re coming here, what are you contributing to Mother Earth? What are you contributing back to her instead of telling a story?” she asked reporter Paul Johnson.
“Because this is not a story anymore; this is a real deal, where our water is under attack and within.”
LISTEN: Calls — what do you make of the protesters’ attitudes (or media coverage of them) on Burnaby Mountain?
The woman said “no one here has been violent toward anybody” and reiterated calls to turn off any cameras.
“When we say no, we don’t want cameras to be filming us, please respect that,” she said.
“You’re peeping toms and that’s against the law,” said another person.
The other woman that Global BC spoke to told Johnson: “People like you, who is probably third or fourth generation, you don’t really understand the history of Canada and what’s happened to the people here.
“You need to start covering that and start talking about the truth and exploiting the water defenders here, because calling Indigenous people protesters is offensive, it’s offensive and it’s not respectful.”
One thing that was made clear to Global BC at the camp was that demonstrators plan on staying there indefinitely.
- Video report by Paul Johnson
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