Straight Talk

Another Extinction Rebellion Vancouver rally leads to two more arrests on Cambie Bridge

Today, the group plans to block the Grandview Highway before trying to shut down the airport on Monday (October 25)

by Charlie Smith on October 24th, 2021 at 9:47 AM
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      The number of arrests continues to climb in Extinction Rebellion Vancouver's 14 days of climate action.

      On October 23, two more were taken into custody in peaceful civil disobedience blocking the Cambie Bridge. That came after another person was arrested on October 22 after gluing herself to the brige.

      That brings the total number of arrest to 17 in the group's "October Rebellion" leading up to the COP26 international climate meetings in Glasgow at the end of this month.

      According to Extinction Rebellion Vancouver, its supporters were able to hold the bridge for 25 minutes until police arrived.

      One of those arrested, identified as Leenie in the group's news release, acknowledged that it's annoying for people when roads are blocked.

      But she explained that acts like this is what enabled ACT UP to gain broader access to critical medications during the AIDS epidemic and that women gained the vote through hunger strikes, breaking windows, and, in one instance, jumping in front of one of the king's horses at the races.

      Two women were enough to keep traffic off the Cambie Bridge for a while on October 23.
      Extinction Rebelion Vancouver

      "I’m pretty annoyed that the beautiful town of Lytton where I visited every summer during my childhood, is now gone," Leenie added. "I’m pretty annoyed that despite all of this, our government continues to subsidize the fossil fuel industry to the tune of $40 million a day with my tax dollars. It has never been clearer that our government has no intention of ending their loyalty to the fossil fuel industry that is literally killing us, and if they think that they can get away with this level of criminal disregard for my life and future without consequences, they're in for a surprise."

      At noon today (October 24), activists will gather at Falaise Park for short training in nonviolence before attempting to block the Grandview Highway.

      On October 25, they plan to try to prevent traffic from entering Vancouver International Airport.

      They have a single demand: that the federal government immediately stop subsidizing the fossil-fuel industry.

      Last year, according to Environmental Justice, the Trudeau government provided $18 billion in subsidies to this sector.

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