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Update #85 on police enforcement of injunction order in Fairy Creek Watershed

Lake Cowichan

2021-08-27 22:48 PDT

Police enforcement of the BC Supreme Court injunction order in the Fairy Creek Watershed area continued today, on August 27, 2021, with ongoing efforts to remove obstructions and individuals from locking devices or tree structures.

Officers are continuing to monitor two individuals in locking devices in a trench at the entrance to a bridge. While the individuals are able to unlock themselves voluntarily and leave, they refuse to do so. The trench is extremely unsafe and unstable and police are trying to determine the best way to stabilize the trench and then conduct rescue operations.

During the course of the day, a total of 6 individuals were arrested. 2 individuals were arrested for obstruction, including a minor who is subject of conditions as they have been arrested multiple times before. 4 individuals were arrested for mischief, which included individuals who were digging holes in the road. Everyone has been processed and released.

A recent review of arrests to date indicates that since enforcement began, the RCMP have arrested 824 individuals; 72 of whom were previously arrested with a combined total of 170 times. Of the total arrested, 638 were for breaching the injunction (contempt of court), 153 were for obstruction, 17 were for mischief, 6 were for breaching their release conditions, 5 were for assaulting a police officer, 2 were for failing to comply with a court order, 1 for counselling to resist arrest, 1 for causing a disturbance, and 1 Immigration Act.

All news releases on the Fairy Creek Watershed police enforcement issued to date can be found on the Lake Cowichan RCMP Detachment website.

Photo of protestors across bridge with a protestor in a tripod