By Canadian Press

The latest on protests across Canada in support of anti-pipeline demonstrators

Feb 25, 2020 | 9:31 AM

Here is the latest news on protests across Canada over a natural gas pipeline project in British Columbia (All times Eastern):

9:21 a.m. ET

Passenger rail service is halted this morning along a popular commuter rail line near Hamilton, Ont.

A spokeswoman for Metrolinx says about a dozen people gathered on the tracks affecting GO Train service between the city and Niagara Falls.

She says Hamilton police and CN Rail are investigating.

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The new blockade comes barely 24 hours after police dismantled a rail blockade in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ont., arresting 10 people. 

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9:00 a.m. ET

Anti-pipeline protesters continue to block a major Vancouver intersection that is also a key entry to the port of Vancouver.

Demonstrators arrived at the intersection early Monday afternoon and say they will remain, although the Port of Vancouver has an injunction prohibiting interference with truck traffic to and from the busy harbour.

Police are at the scene and monitored the demonstration through the night but have not taken any action to remove it.

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8:30 a.m. ET

A group of protesters remains locked to a gate of the British Columbia legislature in defiance of an injunction obtained almost two weeks ago after hundreds of demonstrators surrounded the building and impeded or prevented access for most of the day.

The group moved onto the steps of the legislature Monday evening in response to arrests earlier in the day on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in eastern Ontario as police removed a rail blockade set up by supporters of the B.C. First Nation opposed to a natural gas pipeline project on their land.

About 300 people took part as the demonstration began, but a much smaller group remained overnight and a handful locked themselves to the legislature’s ceremonial front gate.

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1:00 a.m. ET

Commuter rail service is moving again between Vancouver and the central Fraser Valley after demonstrators blocked the tracks late Monday afternoon, saying they were acting in support of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs opposed to a natural gas pipeline through their territory in northwestern B.C.

The blockade halted the homeward service for about 5,000 commuters who depend on the West Coast Express, a commuter train service connecting downtown Vancouver to homes in Metro Vancouver’s northeastern regions, as far east as Mission.

B.C.’s Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth took to social media to blast the disruption, the second in as many weeks, calling it unlawful and writing “police do not need an injunction to clear and arrest the blockaders.”

The protesters moved on by early Monday evening and TransLink, which operates the West Coast Express commuter rail service say it will run as usual today.  

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2020.

The Canadian Press