Enbridge pipeline protesters arrested & released

Five protesters have been released, after the Ontario Provincial Police arrested them at an Enbridge pipeline Sunday afternoon.

Two protesters attached themselves to concrete blocks on the Line 9 pipeline near Woodstock to try to stop construction work. Police say the pair, and three others were arrested after they showed protesters a court injunction to leave the work site on Sunday.

30 year old Patricia of Hamilton was charged under the Criminal Code of Canada with obstructing a Peace Officer, mischief, disobeying a court order and 2 counts of failing to comply with a probation order.

25 year old Rachel Avery of Hamilton, 24 year old Wolfgang Chrapko of Guelph, 26 year old Erica Rathie of Guelph and David Vasey were also charged.

They were charged with obstructing a Peace Officer, mischief and disobeying a court order.

The protest group Dam Line 9 Blockade says other three protesters were providing support to the pair who were trying to block work on the pipeline.

A spokesperson for the group, Dan Kellar, says no protesters remain at the Innerkip site.

“I assume workers are perhaps returning to the site to move the sandbags back around to how they had them. Other than that, there’s no real action going on at the Innerkip site,” says Kellar. “For now, the injunction is going to last a week, and Enbridge will probably seek to continue it.”

Despite the arrests, Kellar says the protests will continue elsewhere, adding that others have already begun a blockade in Toronto.

“We’re not stopping just because people are being arrested; people are being arrested righteously here,” Kellar says. “They’re working to defend the water, defend our communities, and uphold our responsibilities to consult with indigenous nations.”

Enbridge plans to reverse the flow of oil and increase the pipe’s capacity, but opponents argue the pipeline puts the environment at risk and that there has been little consultation with aboriginal communities.