A group of demonstrators calling on the B.C. government to take urgent action on the climate emergency plans to block the intersection of Georgia and Granville during Monday rush hour. The plans remain in place, even after several protesters were arrested by Vancouver Police over the weekend.
Extinction Rebellion's Vancouver chapter commenced the first of "14 days of disruption" in the city on Saturday (Oct. 16) by blocking the intersection of Burrard and Georgia streets.
The VPD said a group of approximately 50 people marched through the downtown Vancouver intersection Saturday and four of them were arrested.
“There, 13 people staged a 'die-in' by laying on the ground. This impacted vehicle traffic throughout downtown," explained VPD Csnt. Tania Visintin.
Two men and two women were arrested for mischief and everyone arrested "was driven to jail and released pending a future court date," explains a VPD release.
The following day the same group's protesters blocked the intersection of Broadway and Commerical and five people were arrested.
Sgt. Steve Addison of the VPD told Vancouver Is Awesome that the demonstrators refused to leave the roadway following the protest.
"They were given repeated warnings and requests to leave, however, they chose to stay and be arrested," he said.
Extinction Rebellion plans to block the intersection of Georgia and Granville Monday afternoon for day three of its "October Rebellion" entitled "Protect the Sacred." The group will gather at Nelson Park at 4:30 p.m. before heading to the intersection.
The demonstration will feature speakers, music, and art. The organizers say that "mask-wearing and physical distancing is required at all times to keep the protest COVID-safe."
Each day of the fourteen-day rebellion has a specific theme, with the overarching demand of ending all subsidies for fossil fuel projects.
