Violent Canadian Timber Company Employees Demolish Protestors Camp
9/15/99
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Title: 100 VIOLENT INTERFOR EMPLOYEES DEMOLISH PEACE CAMP AND BEAT
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS
Source: PATH/FAN
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 15, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOCATION: The Stoltmann Wilderness, Elaho Valley (2 hours North of
Squamish)
At 11 am today, Interfor allowed over 100 angry employees to leave
work to harass and attack 7 protesters camped in the Upper Elaho
valley. Several thugs beat the campers hospitalising two. The
loggers smashed everything they could find in the legal protest camp,
including a $6,000 satellite phone which was the only communication
to the outside world, and two video cameras which they undoubtedly
feared would incriminate them. They vandalised at least two vehicles
and burned tents and destroyed other camping equipment.
A young BC woman, suffered severe neck injuries and a man was kicked
repeatedly in the kidneys. James Jamieson, trail foreman of the
nearby WCWC millennial research camp had his van ransacked as loggers
forced their way in to stop him calling out for help on the satellite
phone. They then crushed his hand and smashed the satellite phone.
Despite the violence and the immediate physical danger to the
protesters present, the police took a long time to respond due to
having to call in off-duty officers. This despite a presence of 30+
officers and related personnel on August 17th including an overnight
presence to remove two tree sitters. The RCMP are now saying that
resources are too low to warrant an overnight police presence;
clearly facilitation of international corporate operations is higher
on the RCMP agenda than protecting the basic human rights of Canadian
citizens. Terry of the Squamish RCMP repeatedly hung up on PATH
members in Vancouver, citing a backlog of more urgent issues.
Still photos available.
There will be a protest rally Thursday, September 16th at 1 pm at the
fountains at the art gallery.
Call (604) 255-4145