Commuters across the North Shore faced disruptions Monday (Jan. 31), as old-growth protesters blocked a section of Highway 1 near the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal exit and at the south end of the Ironworkers bridge during rush hour.
Protesters blocked all southbound lanes along the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing just before 8 a.m. for about half an hour at the south end of the bridge, near the McGill Street exit.
Another group of protesters also blocked a section of Highway 1 westbound at Caulfeild Drive exit near the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal about half an hour later. This portion of the protest was cleared just before 9 a.m.
Save Old Growth confirmed six of its protesters were arrested during the morning’s action, as the group used superglue to stopped traffic along the major thoroughfares.
The protest was by the same group who blocked traffic to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal last Wednesday, Jan. 26. One person was arrested at that demonstration.
The group, Save Old Growth, gave the B.C. government an ultimatum to halt all old-growth logging in the province earlier this month, and kicked off its traffic disruption protests Jan. 10 in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.
Save Old Growth describes itself as “an offshoot” of Extinction Rebellion, the group behind multiple protests in Metro Vancouver and Victoria that routinely blocks traffic on major roads, off- and on-ramps, and bridges in order to draw attention to the issue of climate change and what they believe is government inaction.
According to Save Old Growth’s social media accounts, the newly formed group has been recruiting and training members since November 2021.