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May said she respects the country’s courts.

“I’m a lawyer, I have deep respect for our courts, I have deep respect for the rule of the law,” she said in an interview. “Frankly, the fact (is) that the federal government and Kinder Morgan are not waiting to see if their permits are legal before cutting down trees within parks in Burnaby, B.C., ignoring the wishes of mayor and council in Burnaby and trampling on the rights of First Nations.”

She said non-violent civil disobedience is the moral obligation of a responsible citizen on the issue of climate change.

“I think embedded in my actions today is deep respect for the law. And I’m prepared to face the consequences for my actions.”

Protest organizers say around 100 people have been taken into custody since demonstrations in Burnaby began.

The injunction prohibits activists from getting within five metres of Kinder Morgan’s two terminal sites on Burnaby Mountain where work related to the pipeline expansion is underway.

The expansion project will triple the capacity of the pipeline to nearly 900,000 barrels from 300,000.

Before his arrest, Stewart said he was supporting his constituents in Burnaby South knowing the legal risk he faced.

“I feel I have no choice at this point but to do this to amplify the deep, deep opposition to this project that is felt by my constituents,” he said.

“It’s a combination of the disastrous potential of this project, but also betrayal around how it was approved that is moving many of my constituents to take the actions that they are.”