Members of Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo gathered on Hwy.1 at Milton St. near the downtown to protest B.C.'s old growth logging practices. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

TRAFFIC DISRUPTION

VIDEO: Old growth logging protesters block Hwy. 1 near downtown Nanaimo

Jan 10, 2022 | 11:39 AM

NANAIMO — Protesters partially blocked the Trans Canada Highway in a bid to overturn provincial logging policy.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Nanaimo joined counterparts across B.C. in sporadic disruptions to the Trans Canada Hwy. on Monday, Jan. 10 as part of a “Save Old Growth” campaign.

The group wants an immediate stop to old growth logging in B.C. and have said their interruptions to the highway will continue until their demands are met.

“You can’t have a government that talks about climate change then goes ahead and allows for the old growth to continue to be cut,” June, a 78-year-old protester, told NanaimoNewsNOW. “It makes no sense, none. That was a promise they made and they haven’t kept it.”

Nanaimo RCMP officers were quickly on scene after the protest began after 11 a.m. with vehicles being detoured up Milton St. and away from the intersection.

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Those on scene indicated to NanaimoNewsNOW the blockades would be weekly events for the foreseeable future.

“We have a concept that will escalate with every passing day,” Howard Breen, a protester, said as he sat on the road. “We’re hoping the Horgan NDP government realizes we’re now escalating beyond Fairy Creek to save our ancient carbon sinks in British Columbia.”

Breen likened the level of civil disobedience needed to fight climate change to that seen in opposition to the Vietnam War or slavery in the United States.

Recent events including wildfires in Colorado and king tides through the Oceanside region are examples of climate change, according to Breen.

This on top of record drought and heat Nanaimo experience over the summer months.

“I’ve been a staff campaigner for several different conservation groups for most of my adult career, all of that work is gone for naught if we’re going to have the kind of flooding, mega wild fires and mega droughts. We’re here to win and we are going to win. It’s either win or perish.”

Breen along with at least one other protester were removed from the street by Nanaimo RCMP officers around 12 p.m.

The protestors removed their signs shortly after the arrests and the street was reopened to traffic once again.

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