Burnaby RCMP raided an illegally parked trailer on Burnaby Mountain Wednesday evening and arrested two women.
Anti-pipeline protesters parked a surveillance camper known as Camp Cloud at Underhill Avenue and Shellmont Street (home to Kinder Morgan’s Burnaby terminal) two months ago.
Earlier this week, a Mundies tow truck pulled up to the site.
According to Dan Layng, the city’s chief licence inspector, the vehicles violated the street and traffic bylaw. However, he couldn’t divulge the number of tickets issued or the nature of them. He just said “this has been ongoing for some time.”
Layng said there have been a number of complaints regarding traffic at that intersection. Besides the regular flow of cars, there are a number of dump trucks coming and going as part of a reservoir project being carried out by Metro Vancouver, he said.
“We’ve been working with the (Burnaby) RCMP to ensure public safety. ... Because of the grade of the road, it’s difficult to see around that corner, for vehicles coming up Shellmont and Underhill.”
After tickets were issued, a decision to tow was made, said Layng.
To stop the trailer from being moved, protester Uni Urchin jumped on the roof Tuesday afternoon. She refused to get down, and eventually called it a night on a blue tarp.
“If your home is being attacked, if somebody’s trying to take it away, I’d defend it and I’d just put my body there,” she told the NOW during an interview Wednesday morning, surrounded by three umbrellas and a few blankets. “I’m going to stay here as long as I can and I’m negotiating with them to not arrest me.”
Mounties arrived at the scene Wednesday night with a warrant for the arrest of an unidentified man and woman. Police forced their way in with a battering ram and removed two women. They're each facing charges of obstruction, according to a Burnaby RCMP press release.
The release notes the women allegedly obstructed the removal of the illegally parked trailer the previous day.
The pair indicated to officers they would exit the camper, but didn't do so and locked the door.
"Burnaby RCMP respects the rights of individuals to demonstrate peacefully and we are committed to facilitating a dialogue between all parties," said Supt. Chuck McDonald. "Despite repeated requests made by police to the trailer occupants to respect the warrant – as they'd agreed – our officers were required to take steps to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the protest."
Urchin was left alone and eventually got off the roof after police left.
Calls to the Burnaby RCMP have not been returned.
In an earlier interview with the NOW, Cpl. Daniela Panesar said police will continue to monitor the situation.
“(We’ll) take the actions necessary should there be any criminal activities that pose a threat to the safety of individuals and/or property,” she said in an email.
Kinder Morgan’s $7.4-billion Trans Mountain expansion project will triple the capacity of the company’s current pipeline, transporting up to 890,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta's tar sands to B.C.'s coast.
