Supporters of the Wet'suwet'en who are against the LNG pipeline, block a CN Rail line just west of Edmonton on Wednesday February 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

By The Canadian Press

Bloackades

Blockade on CN rail line in Edmonton removed, injunction granted

Feb 19, 2020 | 5:25 PM

EDMONTON — A blockade set up on a Canadian National rail line on the western edge of Edmonton in support of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs was being dismantled — at least temporarily — Wednesday after a handful of counter-protesters showed up.

About 20 people called Cuzzins for Wet’suwet’en had set up barriers earlier in the day in solidarity with the chiefs who oppose a natural gas pipeline through their traditional land in British Columbia.

The blockade consisted of wooden pallets on the tracks and signs that say “No Consent” and “No Pipelines on Stolen Land.”

One of the organizers, who called himself Poundmaker to protect his safety, said they had planned to maintain the blockade until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intervened and the RCMP left Wet’suwet’en territory in B.C.

“It’s as simple as that. With those two removals, all of this comes down,” he said.

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Conflicts with counter-protesters at the site, however, led Poundmaker and the others to abandon the blockade. They said they wanted to keep it peaceful.

A handful of counter-protesters had turned up at the small camp about noon. One man tried to dismantle a sign and removed a barrel at the site.

“This is the violence. See this is the violence,” said a protester, who had his face covered.

“This is not violence. I am just trying to remove some garbage,” the counter-protester responded.

Guy Simpson, an oilfield worker from Leduc, said he decided to show up at the blockade after seeing it on social media.

“One blockade at a time. I’ll clean it up,” he said.

Simpson and other counter-protesters removed the wooden pallets and other materials that were on the tracks.

CN said in a statement earlier Wednesday that CN police and local police had responded to the blockade and that the company would be taking legal action.

“Train movements are currently stopped,” said the statement.

Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer said blocking economically critical infrastructure such as rail lines is an offence and would not be tolerated.

“It is my understanding that CN rail is seeking an emergency injunction … which the government of Alberta fully supports,” he said on Twitter.

On Wednesday afternoon, an Edmonton judge granted CN a 30-day injunction applying to all rail lines in Alberta. CN lawyers had argued that the company has nothing to do with the dispute and is being hurt economically by the blockades.

Premier Jason Kenney, who has been critical of the blockades popping up across the country, said he expected police to respect and enforce court orders.

He planned to be on an afternoon conference call with all of Canada’s premiers about the blockades.

“These illegal blockades — there is people losing their jobs, blue-collar people, vulnerable people,” he said in Calgary.