A 71-year-old man who has been arrested three times for protesting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and who mounted a hunger strike while in custody was released unexpectedly Monday, according to his supporters.
Terry Christenson was most recently arrested July 10 at the pipeline’s Westridge terminal before he was able to scale a crane and unfurl a banner reading “No tankers,” according to a press release from Stand.earth. He was arrested wearing a wetsuit and snorkeling mask, police said at the time.
He appeared in B.C. Supreme Court Monday morning “looking extremely weak and gaunt, announcing that he had been on a hunger strike since entering police custody,” according to the protest group.
Stand.earth spokesperson Sven Biggs said Christenson was on hunger strike to draw attention to his case and climate change.
Christenson, a Juno-nominated country singer and professional climber, has previously said he protests the pipeline to fight climate change for his grandchildren.
“My grandkids are going to be much more impacted than me as young adults, and I feel it's my duty to help protect future generations from climate change,” he told the NOW in April.
Christenson has been charged with criminal contempt of court and has remained in custody since his most recent arrest nearly two weeks ago, according to Stand.earth.
A judge initially granted a Crown request for Christenson to be held in custody until his next court appearance in August, but a lawyer was able to intervene and secure his release Monday, according to Stad.earth.
A spokesperson for the B.C. Prosecution Service said Christenson will stand trial for three counts of criminal contempt of court on Aug. 29.
The self-described “protesting grandpa” was previously arrested in 2018 and April of this year for scaling trees near Trans Mountain facilities.
