Save Old Growth protesters plan to occupy B.C. highways starting Monday

After taking a six-week break to recruit and train more protesters, the group Save Old Growth says it will resume blockades of highways, bridges and other major infrastructure in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island starting Monday.

After taking a six-week break to recruit and train more protesters, the group Save Old Growth says it will resume blockades of highways, bridges and other major infrastructure in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island starting Monday.

“This time around we are trying to make sure that it’s a permanent occupation on the freeway, which is quite unprecedented,” said Save Old Growth spokesperson Zain Haq, adding: “If we do get removed on the first day, the plan is to come back the next day and the next day with greater numbers until there is a critical mass that can’t easily be removed.”

A group opposing Save Old Growth’s tactics called Clear the Road says the protesters are essentially holding commuters hostage.

“I’m very concerned that their actions are just going to escalate and escalate to the point that it is even more dangerous for commuters and for RCMP,” said Clear the Road organizer Tamara Meggit.

Arguing there must be consequences for blocking roads and inconveniencing tens of thousands of commuters, Clear the Road is planning to launch a class action lawsuit against Save Old Growth.

“So anybody who has been effected by these (protests), anybody who has lost shifts at work or anything like that, let us know your story. We are looking to document and a class action lawsuit will be in discussions with law firms,” said Meggit.

Haq says the threat of legal action won’t deter the protesters.