A 79-year-old grandmother, Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta, was arrested Saturday while protesting the Burnaby expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.
She’s now facing charges of criminal contempt.
Burnaby Mounties confirmed the arrest – in the 8000-block of Government Street – occurred after Kaufman-Lacusta participated in a worksite blockade.
“[Demonstrators] have a right to lawful, peaceful, and safe protest and the companies have a right to complete their work,” said Cpl. Michael Kalanj.
A court-ordered injunction enforced by police states that citizens cannot “obstruct, impede or otherwise prevent access to Trans Mountain work sites.”
Kaufman-Lacusta was read the court order aloud, police said, but allegedly refused to leave.
She was released on the site and is set to appear in court within a few weeks.
According to the Kaufman-Lacusta, demonstrators are planning to return to the Burnaby site at 7 a.m. on Jan. 23.
“We can’t allow this desecration of unceded traditional Tsleil-Waututh territory, pollution of salmon habitat, and endangering the safety of residents of the area proceed,” she posted publicly to Facebook.
This morning at the Greenway entrance off Government (just East of Cariboo) in Burnaby BC. TMX say they'll be working…
Posted by Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta on Saturday, January 16, 2021
