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Enbridge Westover occupation continues despite injunction

protestors subsequently arrested in morning raid of Line 9 camp

by Justin Saunders

The main gate at North Westover photo credit: Justin Saunders
The main gate at North Westover photo credit: Justin Saunders
Night falls over the supporters photo credit: Justin Saunders
Night falls over the supporters photo credit: Justin Saunders

A few dozen activists remain on site at the occupation of Enbridge's North Westover pumping station, where construction had been taking place across the road from the main Westover Plant. Westover sits along the route of Line 9, a controversial oil pipeline at the heart of the debate around the transportation of diluted bitumen from the Tar Sands. The action, which organizers have named Swamp Line 9, has caused an almost week long work stoppage. However, at 8:15am today, occupiers were served a court injunction ordering them to clear the area within two hours.

Although the wrong address was listed on the injunction, those on site quickly packed up the temporary camp before holding a press conference at noon, where they announced their intention to continue to hold the space in spite of the injunction. A few police vehicles and private security personnel have been noted across the road from North Westover, mediating access to and from the main plant, but so far have made no move to clear the occupied site.

As the occupation heads into its sixth night, four people remain physically locked inside and on top of an elaborate barricade, which has been positioned directly in front of the area where construction has been taking place. Others have taken up a support position outside of the main gate, presumably where they will not be arrested during an eviction, and have said that they will continue to keep watch.

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update: early on the morning of June 26th, police moved in and arrested a number of people still at the site. According to reports, the barricade and those inside it remain in place for now.

 

 


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