These Major Intersections Of Downtown Toronto Are Blocked As Hundreds Of Canadians Protest The BC Pipeline

With the major controversy over the BC pipeline and the removal of indigenous people by RCMP, hundreds of Torontonians have gathered together downtown to support these indigenous communities. These protests have caused a complete standstill in the Toronto core as community members march with signs and chant in protest of the BC pipeline. Parts of King, University and Bay have come to standstill as protestors block the area.

If you didn’t already know, on Monday RCMP officers pushed through the barricade that was set up by the Wet’suwer’en people in order to protest the pipeline. While the band council signed a deal on behalf of the Wet’suwer’en community, the five clans that live within the community are protesting against this decision.

In the RCMP raid that took place, 14 were arrested and RCMP officers began cutting down the barbed wire and anything else that blocked their path. Since then, Canadians from around the nation have been siding with the We’suwer’en people and protests have been popping up around the nation, including downtown Toronto. Those who have been protesting have been doing it for those 14 who were arrested while barricading their community.

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Those 14 that were arrested were taken into police stations on Monday morning for violating the injunction order that was presented to them.

Protest in Toronto in support of #Unistoten and #wetsuweten against @TransCanada pipeline in BC. #wetsuwetenstrong pic.twitter.com/udQB62rVnm

— Cary Walkin 🍁 (@CaryWalkin) January 8, 2019

Protest at #kingandUniversity #transcanada #stayoff #pipeline #nopipeline #Toronto @CityNews @CP24 @CTVToronto pic.twitter.com/jt2LBRkcAu

— David (@w2nxt) January 8, 2019

Taking over the heart of Toronto's financial district in protest against Trans-Canada pipelines pic.twitter.com/EU2NMjmbLE

— mdcn (@mdcnunes) January 8, 2019

Holding signs that read, “No Access Without Consent,” hundreds of protestors who started at Nathan Phillips square are currently blocking King and Bay before heading west on King to continue their protest. These protests have blocked traffic and transit and the protest is being monitored by police bikes as it travels.

READ ALSO: Canadians Are Planning A Massive Road Trip To Ottawa To Protest The Government Shutting Down The Trans Mountain Pipeline

This protest in Toronto is taking place side by side with another protest that is also currently happening in Vancouver. Residents of Vancouver are also currently protesting in support of those arrested pipeline protestors and are blocking traffic as they head to Victory Square.

Protest at King and University pic.twitter.com/33nCv0Hzvp

— Kivvaq (@LarterNikita) January 8, 2019

Via Reddit

Major road closures are expected to occur throughout the downtown core of Toronto as the protest continues.

*Disclaimer: The cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.