RCMP arrested five protestors at an encampment near Fairy Creek on Tuesday.
The arrests come following the establishment of a temporary access control area and checkpoint along the McClure Forest Service Road on Monday.
On April 1st, the BC Supreme Court granted an injunction to the Teal Jones Group, the logging company that intends to cut block Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 46 in the Fairy Creek area near Port Alberni.
Protestors have had blockades set up at the road leading to the cutblock since August 2020 and, recently, they filed a notice to appeal the court-ordered injunction.
The temporary access area limits access for the period of time required to secure access for the Teal-Cedar Products and Teal-Jones Group to begin their operations.
A designated space for protesters and other observers has been set up within the injunction area outside the access control area.
According to RCMP, officers with the liaison team spoke with the protesters who were at an encampment along the forestry road, advising them that the enforcement would begin.
Officers read the court-ordered injunction to the remaining protesters in the area.
Several individuals refused to leave the area, resulting in the arrest of five people for breaching the injunction order.
One person has been released after being processed at the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment, according to RCMP.
The other four are expected to be processed and released by the end of the day.
