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

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'
A Crown lawyer says holdups to the trial of a man found guilty of murdering a 13-year-old Burnaby, B.C., girl were mostly attributable to the defence and "discrete exceptional events," as he argued against the case being thrown out over delays.  Daniel Porte told a B.C. Supreme Court judge that if those events were subtracted, the remaining delays to Ibrahim Ali's trial would have amounted to about 25 months, falling within the allowable threshold.

Crown blames most of Ali murder trial delays on defence and 'extraordinary events'

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs
Police in Prince George, B.C., say they have arrested two people over allegations they were trafficking safe-supply drugs that are prescribed as an alternative to the toxic drug supply in the province. RCMP say they acted on tips from the public and information from other investigations to gather enough evidence to detain the two suspects who were "seen allegedly exchanging illicit drugs for safer supply drugs."

Arrests in northern B.C. over allegations of trafficking safe-supply drugs

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case
Police in Surrey are asking for witnesses in a case last month where an officer shot and seriously injured a fleeing suspect. Surrey Mounties say two Surrey Police Service officers were patrolling on foot on March 17th when they got a call about a man with a gun.

Witnesses needed to come forward in Surrey police shooting case

Bleak outlook for the housing market

Bleak outlook for the housing market
Economists say it could take months before consumers regain confidence and create a rebound in Canada's housing market, but a pent-up demand remains in places like BC. TD Bank economist Rishi Sondhi says the Canadian housing market is akin to a coiled spring, and significant demand in B-C and Ontario could be sparked by activities such as an interest-rate cut.

Bleak outlook for the housing market

Rain and snow warnings for BC

Rain and snow warnings for BC
Environment Canada has issued rain and snow warnings for parts of southwestern B-C as a moist Pacific frontal system moves into the region. The weather agency says North Vancouver and West Vancouver may see as much as 50 millimetres of rain in the next 24 hours, leading to possible washouts near rivers and creeks.

Rain and snow warnings for BC

Deportation hearing set for truck driver in deadly Saskatchewan hockey team bus crash

Deportation hearing set for truck driver in deadly Saskatchewan hockey team bus crash
A deportation hearing for the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash six years ago has been scheduled for next month.  Lawyer Michael Greene said Monday the hearing for his client Jaskirat Singh Sidhu is to be held May 24.

Deportation hearing set for truck driver in deadly Saskatchewan hockey team bus crash