Three people have been charged after a small group of protesters tried to block B.C. Premier John Horgan’s home earlier this year, ahead of the release of the government’s budget.
Charges of criminal mischief under $5,000 were sworn against Howard Gerard Breen, Regine Monika Klein and Mark William Nykanen in connection with the Feb. 18 protest at Horgan’s Langford home outside Victoria.
The trio was arrested after police said they responded to a report of individuals “disturbing the premier’s family by banging on his door stating they were going to make a citizen’s arrest of the premier.”
Officers said they arrived to find the group blocking access to the driveway.
The protesters were with Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island, an environmental group that had planned to disrupt the release of the NDP government’s budget later that day.
The demonstration was one of countless other marches and blockades that took place across the country in January and February in support of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs fighting the Coastal GasLink pipeline running through their territory in northern B.C.
After setting up a safety zone, RCMP warned the group they would be arrested if they did not leave the premier’s home. All but three refused to move and were arrested.
Breen, Klein and Nykanen are set to appear in court on July 15. The trio’s first court date on March 27 was adjourned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
– With files from Jon Azpiri and Simon Little
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