Protesters arrested for violating court-ordered injunction
By Contributor
Several individuals have been arrested for violating a court-ordered injunction granted to Cooper Creek Cedar Ltd. (CCC) on August 27, 2019 to conduct logging operations in an area known as Salisbury Creek near Argenta, British Columbia.
The order specifically prevents anyone from physically preventing, restricting or in any way physically interfering with or counseling other persons to physically prevent, impede, restrict, or in any way physically interfere with, the logging and related operations and activities of CCC, their employees, contractors or agents…vehicles and equipment in and around the area known as Salisbury Creek.
On April 25, 2022, the RCMP was notified of protesters blocking the Salisbury Creek Forest Service Road, approximately 50 km north of Kaslo. A police officer from the Kaslo RCMP Detachment attended to advise the group they were in breach of the injunction, a copy of which was provided. The officer attended to the site on the two subsequent days to advise the group they would face arrest for Mischief and Contempt of Court if they continued to blockade.
Members of the RCMP’s Division Liaison Team also made attempts during the first week of May to have the protesters leave peacefully.
On May 17, 2022, police enforcement of the court-ordered injunction was conducted, resulting in the arrest of 17 individuals for Civil Contempt of Court, one of whom was removed from a locking device. Of the total arrested, eight were released on conditions with a court date of July 19, 2022. The other nine have been transported to Kaslo RCMP Detachment for processing.
