Loggers Allowed to Dynamite Near Stolen Tree Sitters
8/21/99
*******************************
RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: RCMP ALLOW LOGGERS TO DYNAMITE NEAR
STOLEN WILDERNESS TREE SIT
Source: PATH & FAN
www.enviroweb.org/PATH
path@envirolink.org
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 21, 1999
This morning Squamish RCMP endangered protesters lives by giving
permission to Interfor employees to blast dynamite near the Stolen
Wilderness Tree Sit at mile 65 in the Upper Elaho Valley (2 hours
north of Squamish, BC).
Squamish Sergeant Gary Brine says his officers checked the protest
area finding no tree sitters in the danger zone, but protesters at the
nearby peace camp confirmed that they had radio contact with "Jane
Doe" before and at the time of the blasts. "The cops were standing
under her tree all day yesterday" says PATH spokesperson Barney Kern
on Saturday morning. Jane has occupied the trees for three days.
RCMP have arrested eight people including two tree sitters and six
witnesses as the protest celebrates it's thirteenth consecutive day of
occupation.
The witnesses were arrested outside the injunction zone and their
cameras were wrongly seized removing protesters ability to record
ongoing harassment from Interfor employees and police.
Yesterday the Supreme Court ordered RCMP to return the cameras to
protesters with in 48 hours.
Peoples Action for Threatened Habitat/Forest Action Network of
Vancouver are demanding an independent investigation of RCMP
negligence by enabling Interfor to continue illegal activity.
Protesters resolve to stop all new road building and all clearcutting
in the Stoltmann Wilderness.
For interviews and footage call 255-4145 www.enviroweb.org/PATH
path@envirolink.org