VANCOUVER

Angry commuters drag protesters as they block Ironworkers Memorial Bridge

Protesters dragged off

Chris Campbell / Burnaby Now - Apr 21, 2022 / 10:07 am | Story: 366623

Photo: Save Old Growth

A series of anti-logging protests on Highway 1 in Burnaby turned rough Thursday morning as some drivers had apparently had enough of the traffic disruptions.

A video posted by the group Save Old Growth shows some of its members sitting on the deck of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

Suddenly, in step some drivers who had left their vehicles to try and drag the protesters out of their path.

“The Trans-Canada Highway has been blocked by Save Old Growth,” reads a tweet. “People were violently attacked by angry commuters and stayed calm and non-violent during the process.”

Traffic was backed up well into Burnaby.

The protests have been going on for several weeks, but multiple events have been staged in the last couple of days. Earlier this week, two people were arrested at the intersection of Grandview and Boundary Road in Burnaby for blocking traffic.

Motorists are advised to stay in their vehicles and wait for police to arrive if they encounter a blockade.

This was the group’s 10th direct-action in Vancouver and Burnaby this month.

A total of 84 people have been arrested on B.C. highways since January in Vancouver, Burnaby Revelstoke, Victoria and Nanaimo.

“We’re done being afraid. We won’t stop until the government passes legislation to end all old growth logging. This is not a big demand, we’ve only got 2.7% 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,” said Julia Torgerson, a spokesperson for the group, in a statement.