Fairy Creek Blockade Photo Reel
by Yvonne Hanson.
On March 27, hundreds of activists gathered at city hall to rally against Old-Growth logging and show support for the Fairy Creek Blockade on Vancouver Island. BC has lost 98% of its original old growth forests. Now, artists and activists are fighting to save the last 2%.
PHOTO REEL: Click on images at right for slide show. Photos: Yvonne Hanson Photography
The demonstration began on the steps of so-called Vancouver City Hall on Unceeded Coast Salish territory with drums, speeches, and cheers. Painted rocks, signs bearing watchful eyes, noisemakers emblazoned with the hourglass symbol of the Extinction Rebellion movement.
Elder Shane Pointe shared words to inspire the crowd, speaking of the beauty of the forest and world being destroyed and the urgency of our global climate situation.
“Water Rebels” clothed completely in blue weaved through the crowd, and gradually fell into formation at what would soon become the front of the march.
As the speakers finished their remarks, the crowd gathered behind the Water Rebels, took up the green Extinction Rebellion banner, and marched towards Cambie Street Bridge. When the crowd reached Broadway and Cambie, the intersection was secured and the demonstrators laid down in the street, leaving only the blue-clad Water Rebels standing among them. This action is referred to as a “die in” and represents the death of all future generations should we fail to halt catastrophic climate change.
After several minutes, the crowd rose to their feet while chanting together “the people going to rise like the water, we’re going to calm this crisis down. I hear the voice of my great granddaughter saying stop this crisis now”.
Still singing, the crowd resumed their march towards the Bridge. Once the bridge had been occupied successfully, activists set up tables, banners, and strings of flags to demonstrate their claim to the bridge.
A dance circle formed, hula hoops were available for use, speakers shouted out various causes and upcoming events, and music played over a small portable amplifier.
Smoke grenades were handed out to a handful of particularly tall demonstrators, and a countdown began. When the count reached zero, plumes of brightly coloured smoke rocketed out of the hands of protestors, filling the air with a colourful haze. The dance circle continued as the smoke dissipated.
The next speaker at the mic was interrupted by the police who had been gathering in droves nearby. Upwards of 50 officers had amassed at the northern side of the bridge, and demonstrators were warned that arrests were imminent. The crowd cleared off the bridge onto the sidewalk, leaving six brave activists seated in the middle of the roadway on the Extinction Rebellion banner, unwilling to relinquish control of the bridge. Gradually, they were handcuffed and loaded onto stretchers.
As each person disappeared into police custody, the gathered crowd cried out, “We love you.”
