Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. port terminal among sites blocked in co-ordinated pro-Palestinian protests

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Apr, 2024 10:14 AM
  • B.C. port terminal among sites blocked in co-ordinated pro-Palestinian protests

A blockade by pro-Palestinian protesters at a major port terminal in Metro Vancouver disrupted operations for several hours before dispersing on Monday.

Terminal operator GCT Canada said the protesters' actions were illegal and stopped container trucks from accessing the Deltaport facility by blocking the Roberts Bank causeway for several hours. 

Photos and videos sent by the protesters, who called the event the "People's Picket for Palestine," showed demonstrators standing on the causeway, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as "victory is very near" as they blocked traffic. 

"I am here today to say that the Canadian government and Canadian businesses, like GCT Deltaport, must take a stand and refuse to do business with Israel," protester Atiya Jaffar said in a statement.

The Port of Vancouver is the largest port in Canada, and GCT Deltaport is the country's largest container terminal with capacity to handle 2.4 million standard 20-foot containers every year.

GCT spokesman Marko Dekovic said the company was not warned of the blockade beforehand and did not know why Deltaport was targeted.

"There are two other terminals in Burrard Inlet, DP World Centerm and GCT Vanterm, as well as DP World Fraser Surrey that were not blockaded," Dekovic said in a written response.

Dekovic said Monday's blockade was at one point "severely impacting" the terminal's ability to operate but declined to discuss the port's recovery capabilities "as it may give the protesters other ideas on how to negatively impact the operation."

Trade and transport infrastructure experts say while the disruption from such a blockade is inconvenient for truckers stuck at the terminal gates, it is unlikely to cause serious backlogs. 

"The cargo in containers is not so perishable or valuable that a day’s delay makes a difference," said Simon Fraser University professor of urban studies Peter Hall. "A blockage needs to go on for a while before it has appreciable impact."

University of British Columbia Sauder school of business associate professor Werner Antweiler agreed that the impact of such a blockade should be limited, despite Deltaport seeing about eight trains and 3,500 trucks moving in and out every day based on a 2021 study.

But Antweiler said a bigger question may be on the possibility of similar disruptions from protest blockades in the future.

"Some provinces such as Alberta have adopted laws to protect critical infrastructure, B.C. hasn’t." he said in a written response. 

"Protest is a legal right, but a blockade is not. If the protest is deemed an illegal blockade that disturbs the peace, it could — and should — be removed."

The Delta Police Department said earlier that its officers were at the scene and had been working to restore use of the roadway. 

Protesters said in a statement that the demonstration was co-ordinated with protests around the world aimed at blocking "major choke points in the economy" to cause "the most economic impact."

Other protests on Monday included one in Chicago where pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three terminals at the city's O’Hare International Airport, temporarily stopping traffic into one of the world's busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers.

The B.C. protest contingent said more than 100 demonstrators participated in the blockade.

MORE National ARTICLES

Two blows to B.C.'s credit status, as S&P cuts rating and Moody's turns negative

Two blows to B.C.'s credit status, as S&P cuts rating and Moody's turns negative
British Columbia's credit status took a double blow on Tuesday, with S&P downgrading the province due to the risk of "outsize" deficits, and Moody's turning its outlook negative. S&P Global Ratings blamed big government spending as it dropped its credit rating for the province and BC Hydro's provincially guaranteed unsecured debt from AA status to AA-minus.

Two blows to B.C.'s credit status, as S&P cuts rating and Moody's turns negative

B.C. makes it easier to salvage timber damaged by wildfires

B.C. makes it easier to salvage timber damaged by wildfires
The B.C. government says it's making it easier for forestry companies to salvage timber damaged by wildfires. Sustainable Forestry Innovation Minister Andrew Mercier says in a statement that changes to the price of fees for harvesting timber on Crown land make salvage "more economic," and will speed up forest regeneration.

B.C. makes it easier to salvage timber damaged by wildfires

B.C. moves alone on Surrey Police Service after mayor, council refuse to leave RCMP

B.C. moves alone on Surrey Police Service after mayor, council refuse to leave RCMP
British Columbia is moving ahead with the transition to an independent police service in Surrey after the mayor and council refused to part ways with the RCMP.  Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says a plan is in place for the continued transition to the independent Surrey Police Service, and he'll release more details next week on how that will work. 

B.C. moves alone on Surrey Police Service after mayor, council refuse to leave RCMP

B.C.'s government buys land for transit-oriented housing development

B.C.'s government buys land for transit-oriented housing development
British Columbia's government is spearheading a new public development project on Vancouver Island aimed at bringing more affordable homes closer to transit access Premier David Eby says the province has purchased two parcels of land for the Uptown development in Saanich, B.C., through the $394-million property acquisition fund operated by the Transportation Ministry. 

B.C.'s government buys land for transit-oriented housing development

Woman arrested for attacking 'random strangers' in Vancouver, police say

Woman arrested for attacking 'random strangers' in Vancouver, police say
A woman has been arrested over what Vancouver police say is a series of assaults against "random strangers" in the city.  Police say officers responded to multiple calls on Sunday in the city's downtown core where the 32-year-old woman is alleged to have assaulted three people. 

Woman arrested for attacking 'random strangers' in Vancouver, police say

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant
British Columbia Premier David Eby says the government has asked the auditor general to review the province's grant programs after allegations of conflict-of-interest from a clean-technology company. The development comes after Merritt, B.C.-based electric-hybrid truck maker Edison Motors said in a TikTok video that accounting firm MNP was both administering a CleanBC grant and offering to provide services to aid businesses in applications. 

B.C. under fire after accounting firm accused of conflict in running grant