Arrests continued at the Caycuse camp on Thursday, May 20 as the RCMP continued to enforce a B.C. Supreme Court injunction against blockades against old growth logging on southern Vancouver Island.
According to a press relsease from the RCMP, police had closed off the area around the camp on Wednesday after making arrests, which included removing two protesters who had locked themselves to a bridge over the Caycuse River. When police returned to the site on Thursday, several individuals had returned to the camp and locked themselves to structures. Police arrested seven protesters on Thursday: six for breaching the injunction, and one who was escorted out with no recommended charges.
All of the arrested protesters were taken to the Lake Cowichan RCMP detachment for processing. They refused to sign conditional release documents, and will be held in custody until they appear in court in Nanaimo on Friday.
Police are also recommending charges of obstruction against two other protesters, charges of possession of stolen property against two others, and charges of obstruction and assaulting an officer against one other.
The protesters who were removed from the bridge on Wednesday were among seven total arrests that day. All seven were taken to Lake Cowichan for processing. One was released on conditions with a future court date, while the other five were held in custody overnight and scheduled to appear in court in Nanaimo on Thursday.
A total of 21 protesters have been arrested since police began enforcing the injunction on Tuesday, May 18: 17 for breaching the injunction and four for obstruction.
READ MORE: 5 more protesters arrested at Caycuse blockade on Vancouver Island
