Protests have been escalating outside of B.C. after RCMP arrested some opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline

Dozens of protesters have marched to a rail crossing on Renfrew near Grandview Highway

More disruptions are underway in support of Wet'suwet'en First Nation in Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A group called Urban Indigenous Sovereignists and its supporters have blockaded a CN Rail crossing.

Dozens of protesters have marched to the rail crossing on Renfrew near Grandview Highway.

A few dozen anti pipeline protestors blocking CN rail crossing in east Vancouver this afternoon @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/Krbm4dkYOQ — Bethlehem Mariam (@bethlehemmariam) February 15, 2020

It’s not clear how long they intend to stay there.

Amtrak has turned back some travellers heading from Bellingham. A couple hundred people here to show her support for the Wet’suwet’en people. People here say they will not leave until they are physically removed or until Some agreement is reached. @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/4MReD9atvS — Tarnjit Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) February 15, 2020

The gathering to back Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs is part of ongoing protests that have included blockades of roads and bridges in several cities as well as similar action that forced the closure of passenger and freight-train operations in Eastern Canada.

Protests began escalating outside of northern B.C. last week after RCMP arrested some opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline near Houston for violating a court injunction.

The company has signed agreements with all 20 elected band councils along the pipeline route, but Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs say band councils only have authority over reserve lands.

“We also choose this site in solidarity with and recognition of displaced and migrant communities. We want to recognize the shared history of violence experienced by Indigenous people, & Punjabi & Chinese communities” – Activist Atiya Jaffar@CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/1v7XxKAEFw — Ashley Grace Burr (@AshleyBurr_) February 15, 2020

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