74-year-old woman pushed to ground by police outside Trudeau-attended fundraiser

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CTVNews.ca Staff with files from CTV News Vancouver's David Molko

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A 74-year-old woman was knocked to the ground by a police officer during an anti-pipeline protest on Wednesday.

The dramatic incident, which was captured on camera by CTV Vancouver, happened outside a lunchtime Liberal fundraiser attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In the video, the woman is seen approaching a uniformed police officer and another man dressed in a suit. The woman appears to shove one of the men, and is then forcefully pushed backwards, falling to the ground.

The woman lies on her back and appears disoriented as she holds onto her head. Others in the crowd rush to help her.

CTV News Vancouver’s David Molko reports that the woman has been identified as Susan Stout from North Vancouver.

Another anti-pipeline protester inside the Liberal fundraiser interrupted the prime minister during a speech. The man, identified as Will George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, called Trudeau a weak leader and urged him to stop the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.

Trudeau responded to the man by saying that the Liberal government has taken steps to protect the environment, including $1.5 billion to protect Canada’s oceans.

"There are strong Indigenous voices like yours, speaking up very strongly against this pipeline and against various projects. There are also, however, very strong Indigenous voices speaking up in favour of this project. I know you don't mean to delegitimize their voices as well," Trudeau said.

The federal government is in the midst of consultations with Indigenous groups on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion proposal. Ottawa has until June 18 to make a decision on the project.

The government previously approved the project, but that decision was rescinded last summer after the Federal Court of Appeal determined that neither the Indigenous consultations nor the environmental review were properly completed.

With files from The Canadian Press

NEW VIDEO This is not what anyone wanted to see outside the @JustinTrudeau event earlier today in Yaletown. (Mostly) peaceful anti-pipeline protests and then this happens. The woman on the ground is 74-year-old Susan Stout of North Van. https://t.co/59aIVi06uL @CTVVancouver — David Molko (@molkoreports) May 23, 2019

RELATED IMAGES 1 / 2 William George, a member of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, stands to interrupt a speech by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a Liberal Party fundraising lunch in Vancouver, on Wednesday May 22, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck