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Old-growth logging protesters dragged off road by frustrated drivers after blocking major bridge

Click to play video: 'Save Old Growth protesters stage demonstration on Ironworkers Memorial Bridge Thursday'
Save Old Growth protesters stage demonstration on Ironworkers Memorial Bridge Thursday
WATCH: A number of protesters with Save Old Growth took part in a demonstration Thursday, blocking southbound lanes during the morning commute. Video provided by the organization shows the protesters being dragged to the side of the bridge by commuters – Apr 21, 2022

When protesters blocked southbound lanes of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge during Thursday’s commute, it appears some drivers became very frustrated.

The six protesters, with the group Save Old Growth, were dragged off to the side of the bridge by some commuters.

Vancouver police were soon on the scene to clear the protesters and allow traffic to move again, police said in a release.

Click to play video: 'Frustrated drivers take on protestors on Ironworkers Memorial bridge'
Frustrated drivers take on protestors on Ironworkers Memorial bridge
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“Demonstrators who block vital pieces of infrastructure, like bridges and major intersections, put themselves in danger and create a safety risk for the rest of the public,” Const. Tania Visintin said.

“We know these incidents frustrate the public, and we thank everyone for their patience while VPD responded to this protest.”

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A 24-year-old woman was arrested and taken to jail, Visintin added.

The group, Save Old Growth, has staged protests on a number of roadways in B.C. recently.

This is its 10th direct action in Vancouver this month and 84 people have been arrested in the province since January in Vancouver, Revelstoke, Victoria and Nanaimo.

“We’re done being afraid. We won’t stop until the government passes legislation to end all old-growth logging,” Julia Torgerson, a spokesperson for the group said in a release.

“This is not a big demand, we’ve only got 2.7 per cent of the productive old-growth left. Killing the last of these ancient trees is a death sentence for millions of Canadians due to ecological breakdown.”

Click to play video: '‘Save Old Growth’ protestors block Grandview Highway during Monday commute'
‘Save Old Growth’ protestors block Grandview Highway during Monday commute
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A member of the group, Howard Breen, is on day 21 of his hunger strike and will stop drinking liquids in protest on Earth Day, which is risky to his life, the group said.

Another member, who is on day 28 of his hunger strike, said the hundreds of people dying during the heat dome last summer shows humanity is not doing enough to combat climate change.

“We are entering the darkest age of human history, and facing mass starvation as we approach a two degrees increase in global average temperatures. The BC government is aiding in the destruction of the country,” Brent Eichler said in a release.

A court injunction against old-growth logging protests on Vancouver Island was extended in January until next fall in a British Columbia Court of Appeal decision that overturns a lower-court ruling.

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A panel of three judges granted the appeal by forestry company Teal Cedar Products Ltd. of a B.C. Supreme Court decision that denied the company’s application to extend the injunction by one year.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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