Protesters shut down West Coast Express, then pack up
Credit to Author: Scott Brown| Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2020 17:21:15 +0000
A blockade by Coastal GasLink protesters at Canadian Pacific’s Port Coquitlam rail yard ended early Friday, but not before shutting down the West Coast Express, and stranding thousands of morning commuters.
TransLink confirmed early Friday morning that the West Coast Express service leaving Mission City Station was suspended because of protesters blocking the railway adjacent to the Pitt River Bridge. A bus bridge was set up to help commuters travelling from Mission to Coquitlam Central Station.
However, after the five morning West Coast Express trains ended, the protesters packed up and left the protest camp, according to Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West. There are reports the protesters are joining the Women’s Memorial March in downtown Vancouver Friday.
It’s unknown whether the protesters plan to return to the blockade, however Metro Vancouver’s transit authority says they won’t be blocking the West Coast Coast Express.
TransLink said that it has been advised by Canadian Pacific Railway that it will be able to operate the West Coast Express service on Friday afternoon.
A group calling itself Red Braid Alliance for Decolonial Socialism took credit for the blockade, citing support of rail blockades and sovereignty struggles by Indigenous nations throughout Canada.
Red Braid spokesperson Isabel Krupp said Friday morning that a media statement would be posted later in the morning.
“Blocking access points of trade of goods and flow of capital disrupts the economy. Our movements know that there is a direct opposition between the Wet’suwet’en struggle for sovereignty and Canada’s economy,” Sadie Morris, one of about two dozen demonstrators who descended on the CP rail yard at around 3:45 p.m. Thursday.
All the West Coast Express trains scheduled to travel east from Waterfront to Mission Thursday afternoon were cancelled due to protesters blocking Canadian Pacific tracks on the Pitt River rail bridge. Late Thursday, TransLink said they have been unable to move trains, conduct necessary maintenance safety checks, and perform routine inspections.
“Please note that buses are expected to be busier than normal. We ask that customers try and seek alternative modes of travel,” TransLink said in a release.
West said he is hearing a great deal of frustration from the community because the West Coast Express is so heavily used by commuters for transportation.
“This is not hurting governments, or the company, this is hurting working people in this community,” he said.
West said he spoke to a woman in tears because she could not get her two-year-old son to daycare on time, a delay which cost the woman $100.
“How is that fair? This action, this group, are not connected to the Wet’suwet’en people. They look for excuses to engage in this kind of action,” said West.
West said he has spoken to Canadian Pacific and urged them to seek an injunction in court to have the protesters removed.
CP did not answer a question about whether the company would pursue an injunction Friday, but shortly before 9 a.m. spokesperson Salem Woodrow confirmed that the protesters had left the area.
Protesters against the Coastal GasLink pipeline block the tracks on the CP rail bridge in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.
The West Coast Express serves as many as 9,900 boardings per day along the 68-kilometre trip between Mission and downtown Vancouver.
It’s not known if the commuter service will be running by Friday afternoon, as the protesters in Port Coquitlam had stated that they have no plans to end the blockade.
“We will hold the blockade until the RCMP is out of Wet’suwet’en or we are forced to move through force … through police intervention,” said protester Isabel Krupp. “We have supplies and we have reinforcements coming.”
The RCMP, Metro Vancouver transit police and CP rail police all attending the scene but there have been no arrests.
A Metro Vancouver Transit officer watches as a train passes on the westbound track. Protesters against the Coastal GasLink pipeline block the eastbound tracks on the CP rail bridge in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada February 13, 2020.
B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, the MLA for Port Coquitlam, called the blockade a “disgrace” on Twitter Thursday night.
“Blocking West Coast Express is not lawful or peaceful protest, it is unacceptable and a disgrace,” Farnworth said.
Blockade organizers across Canada have said they’re acting in solidarity with those opposed to a pipeline project that crosses the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation near Houston, B.C. The blockades have forced Canadian National Railway to shut down its entire network in Eastern Canada and Via Rail to cancel passenger service across the country.
Coastal GasLink is building a 670-kilometre pipeline from the Dawson Creek area in northern B.C. at an estimated cost of $6.6 billion. The project has the support of 20 elected band councils along the route. All of them have signed benefit agreements with Coastal GasLink.
The protests, which have been sprouting up across the country, are in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who are fighting to stop construction of the pipeline project.
On Monday, police in Vancouver and Delta arrested 57 protesters for taking part in blockades at Metro Vancouver ports in defiance of a court injunction.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority had received the injunction so port operations could resume in Vancouver and Delta.
Thursday’s rail yard blockade effectively cuts off east-west train service throughout Metro Vancouver, which would include rail shipments in and out of the ports.
When asked for comment Thursday night, a Canadian Pacific spokesperson told Postmedia that “CP is monitoring the situation.”
Protesters against the Coastal GasLink pipeline block the tracks on the CP rail bridge in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia.
— With Canadian Press files