14 arrests after pro-Palestinian protesters shut down East Vancouver rail line
Posted May 31, 2024 1:59 pm.
Last Updated May 31, 2024 4:26 pm.
Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down an East Vancouver rail line Friday afternoon leading to 14 people being handcuffed and arrested by police.
About 100 people gathered around 12:30 p.m., standing on the tracks near Kaslo Street and East 12th Avenue, just north of Grandview Highway.
Protesters told CityNews that they were occupying the railway due to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
They say they will continue interrupting essential infrastructure until the war in Gaza ends.
Police gave the protesters a deadline of 2 p.m. to move off the tracks, or else they would forcibly remove them.
Vancouver Police Department officers could be seen yelling “move back” to protesters, and those who didn’t comply were arrested at the scene.
The protest dispersed around 2:30 p.m.
In an update Friday afternoon, the VPD said 14 people were arrested during the protest for “mischief and obstruction.”
”Unlawful protests that block vital infrastructure put peoples’ safety at risk,” Const. Tania Visintin said. “Our officers worked quickly, with help from CN Police and Metro Vancouver Transit Police, to prevent a prolonged blockade on the train tracks and to keep traffic moving.”
“VPD Investigators will work to collect evidence and recommend charges to Crown counsel,” the VPD stated.
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