Updated:
According to VicPD, protesters have blocked traffic at the intersection at Douglas And Johnson Streets.
Officers are on scene with members of the Greater Victoria Public Safety Unit. The public is advised to avoid the area.
Original:
While a specific time or location wasn’t revealed, old-growth logging protestors are planning to block the Trans-Canada Highway this afternoon in the Victoria area for a third time this month.
The group Save Old Growth, said they will continue to block the highway in Victoria, Nanaimo and Vancouver area with intentions of increasing the frequency and scale of actions until old-growth logging is stopped.
“Currently, the BC government continues to log old-growth forests. This flies in the face of the provincial government’s promise to implement all 14 recommendations outlined by a strategic review of old-growth management, which includes an immediate deferral of development in old-forests where ecosystems are at very high and near-term risk of irreversible biodiversity loss,” reads a statement from the group.
“The immense capacity for old-forests to withstand and mitigate climate change-related extreme weather events should not be understated, especially following the devastating floods and fires across BC in 2021.”
In the past two weeks, the group—who are an extension of Extinction Rebellion—have seen their actions result in multiple arrests each time in Victoria.
On Wednesday morning last week, five old-growth logging protestors were arrested after blocking a Douglas Street intersection.
Organizers warned of increased protests for sections of the Trans-Canada Highway for the rest of January, or until the government stops logging old-growth forests.
“The BC government is destroying the country, this is our last resort. We are scared of sitting down on the road, but will keep doing it until the government throws us in prison or keeps their own promise to save old growth. Premier Horgan is destroying his own legacy,” said Zain, a university student, and an organizer of this campaign.
