“Who cares about climate change?” An angry driver shouted during a verbal altercation after protesters blocked traffic on Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver on Wednesday.
Drivers blocked by protesters at an old growth on the Lions Gate Bridge on Wednesday morning (June 22nd) got into an ugly altercation with protesters on the bridge deck.
The drivers, who were prevented from crossing the bridge at rush hour around 7:30 a.m., got out of their cars and began to think of two protesters who had parked a van across the two lanes.
A man who said he was an “old growth woodcutter” tore up a protest sign on the side of the van and pushed one of the protesters. “I’ve been logging all my life. You don’t know how the world works, “he said.
One woman told protesters that they were not helping to win public sympathy with their actions.
“You make people angry,” she said. “No one is going to leave here with the words ‘Let’s support these boys.’ You’re pissing us off. ”
Another driver raised his fists above his head as he shouted, “Who cares about climate change?” Adding, “You took your picture, you expressed your point. Now get out of here. ”
Two old protesters, including a man from North Vancouver, were arrested for mischief and “threatening to block the roadway” by Vancouver police after officers arrived on the scene.
This is not the first time logging protesters have disrupted traffic on bridges on the North Shore.
Traffic was disrupted on Highway 1 in West Vancouver on June 14 when three protesters blocked the west lane near the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, clinging to the road.
On June 13, another Save Old Growth protest blocked the second narrow junction of the Iron Workers’ Memorial, while a simultaneous protest blocked the Massey Tunnel.
Three protesters were arrested for the Iron Workers protest, but were released from custody after they deliberately agreed not to block or obstruct traffic on any roadway in British Columbia.
Ben Holt, a 52-year-old computer programmer and North Vancouver resident, was one of the protesters arrested by police as in the recent blockades of Horseshoe Bay and Lions Gate Bridge.
Holt recently told North Shore News that he understands the frustration his actions cause drivers, but said he believes he has little choice if he wants to draw attention to the reason for stopping the old logging.
Holt said the protests were attracting attention – more than writing petitions and acting within the political system.
“I would ask the public, before getting out of their car and facing people, to take a few deep breaths – to think about what they are doing. And think about why the protesters are there, “he said.
With video files from Alana Kelly
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