Occupy Vancouver demonstrators briefly blocked two gates at Port Metro Vancouver on Monday, in conjunction with a larger Occupy Strikes Back-West Coast Port Shutdown action across North America.
A few hundred activists gathered at noon at Callister Park near the Pacific National Exhibition and then marched to the Metro Port of Vancouver for the afternoon action that briefly shut down two of the port’s entrances in the middle of the afternoon.
In the call out from the Occupy Vancouver Direct Action Committee for the action, it was noted: “The Port of Vancouver trades 75 billion in goods annually, and generates 10.5 billion in GDP. It is the largest port in Canada, and the fifth largest in North America. Who benefits from our port’s traffic? We all do… but not equally.
There are numerous environmental concerns surrounding the port, from its impact on local ecosystems to its contribution to global climate change. The proposed expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Westport facility on Burrard Inlet could see in increase in tar sands oil tanker traffic from 22 vessels a year in 2005 to 288 in 2016.”
The action went forward despite the fact that British Columbia Federation of Labour (BCFL) refusal to sanction the demonstration. In a press release, it clearly stated that its members would not be joining the picket line to shut down the ports: “The BC Federation of Labour does not support this action, or any action by the Occupy Vancouver group at Vancouver area ports that seeks to prevent our members from carrying out their assigned duties and working safely.”
Five protesters were arrested at the port shutdown actions for breach of the peace in two separate incidents — two protesters were arrested for disrupting traffic in the 300 block Clark Drive and three others were arrested later one block away after being asked to leave the roadway for their safety, police report. Those arrested include the individual running the Occupy Vancouver Internet livestream. All five were released the same evening without criminal charges.
The Vancouver port action was a part of a larger Occupy action to shut down all the ports on the west coast of North America — from Anchorage, Alaska to Houston, Texas.
Throughout the day yesterday, media reported that the port shutdown actions shut down some of the terminals at the ports in Oakland, California, Portland, Oregon, and Longview, Washington.
In Oakland, shipping companies and the longshoremen’s union agreed to send home about 150 workers, essentially halting operations at two terminals. In Longview, port workers were sent home by their union out of concerns for their “health and safety.” In Portland, a couple of hundred protesters blocked entrances to two terminals at the port, preventing trucks from entering. Police in riot gear were on hand, but there were no immediate confrontations or arrests.
The original call out was placed from Occupy Oakland — which had already conducted one port shutdown action in conjunction with their November 2, 2011, general strike action — and stated: “We present this call to you because we believe it is time the occupation movement begins to work together to carry through coordinated, pinpointed actions. We want to disrupt the profits of the 1 per cent and to show solidarity with those in the 99 per cent who are under direct attack by corporate tyranny.”
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
