On Tuesday morning, July 3, seven people started their protest against the Trans-Mountain Pipeline by hanging off of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge with five others joining later in the day. The protesters were hanging off the bridge for around 38 hours preventing all boating activity that would typically sail under the bridge according to Global News.

From what Global News reported this protest was to get the attention of the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and prevent the oilsands oil tanker traffic operated by Kinder Morgan who owns the Trans-Mountain Pipeline project in British Columbia.

Looking to accomplish

The protest group that claimed responsibility for this high-flying act is called Greenpeace Canada, and they have a message that they are trying to send to all who will listen. Greenpeace Canada stated that the Tran-Mountain Pipeline project would end up locking Canada into 50 years of an infrastructure dedicated to fossil fuels. Will George, who was among the protesters, confirmed to the Vancouver Sun that he had been arrested for his protest hanging off of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

Will George, a Coast Salich leader, made a verbally clear statement that he will remain a fierce opponent against the Trans-Mountain Pipeline project. He continuously stated that he feels that his rights as a human on this earth and his Indigenous rights are being entirely ignored by the government and the owner of the Trans-Mountain Pipeline Kinder Morgan.

Will further explains that the safety of our clean water and our future is a high-risk gamble by allowing the pipeline to continue. Will continues to state that he will work hard to do as much as he can to protect the clean water for his family and everyone else.

The protest led to arrests

The Greenpeace Canada protesters ended up hanging off the bridge for 38 hours by the time everything was said and done.

The Vancouver Sun reported that Wednesday afternoon, around 3 PM., officials reported stating that they were getting ready to remove the protesters off the bridge and arrest them. The arrest was first in the hands of the Vancouver Police Department, but due to the significance of this particular protest, the RCMP had to get involved.

The retrieving of the protesters was unique in itself with them hanging off of the bridge. Const. Jason Doucette stated that there was a Marine unit at the scene for public safety, as reported by the Vancouver Sun. The whole ordeal took about 3.5 hours to make sure everyone was safe and sound before being arrested according to Global News.

The decision to remove the protesters was for overall risk assessment. The RCMP didn't want the police or the protesters getting hurt. The RCMP spokesman, Cpl. Richard De Jong stated that the protesters might be charged for preventing water traffic under the federal Shipping Act.

Kinder Morgan did state that their ship was waiting for suitable conditions to depart, and it wasn't due to the protesters.

But in other reports found from both the Vancouver Sun and Global News they were caught saying that the Greenpeace protesters halted their shipments.

They continually stated they respect peaceful, safe, law-abiding protests, and continued stating that it was unfortunate that their protest prevented many different water transportations from moving under the bridge in those 38 hours. According to the Vancouver Sun the spokeswoman for Suncour, Nicole Fisher, was complaining about how the protesters were in the way of her company shipping their products. Suncor Burrard Terminal is a holding facility for the finished product of petroleum products. Suncor ships fuel to Vancouver Island twice a week, and due to Greenpeace, her company is behind in at least one shipment to Vancouver Island.
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