Key Takeaways:
- According to a news statement from the Surrey RCMP, 176 Street was closed to all traffic about lunchtime from 8th Avenue.
- The RCMP is attempting to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s march to the border crossing in support of the self-styled “Freedom Convoy” occupying downtown Ottawa for many weeks.
- Police will contact the reporters and camera operators who were targeted to provide their versions of the events.
For the 2nd weekend in a row, hundreds of protestors gathered at the junction of 176 Street and 8th Avenue in South Surrey while police set up checkpoints to keep demonstrators away from the Pacific Highway border crossing.
The Surrey RCMP said in a press release that 176 Street had been blocked from all traffic from 8th Avenue about midday.
“Vehicles and pedestrians cannot access the Pacific Highway border crossing at this time as a preventative precaution and to assist protect public and officer safety,” police said in a statement.
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“Until further notice, the public is urged to use other border crossings during this service outage.”
Mounties set up checkpoints south of 8th Avenue earlier in the day, checking cars to ensure they had valid business at the border before allowing them to cross.
The RCMP is trying to avoid a repetition of last weekend’s march to the border crossing in support of the self-described “Freedom Convoy” occupying downtown Ottawa for many weeks.
Several cops were allegedly attacked during the protests last weekend, and police have claimed they’re looking into Motor Vehicle Act crimes allegedly committed by cars that broke past their barricades on the way to the border.
COVID-19 vaccine requirements, as well as any COVID-19-related public health limitations, must be repealed, according to the demonstrators. People have used the Ottawa protests to express various other concerns against the federal government.
Surrey RCMP told CTV News at 5 p.m. that no arrests had been made. However, after demonstrators besieged media members, the detachment announced that it was investigating.
Police will contact the reporters and camera operators who were targeted to provide their versions of the events.
According to a video taken by CTV News, several demonstrators seemed to surround, harass, and intimidate a CBC crew. Two guys were also spotted spitting on the reporters.
Sgt. Elenore Sturko, a spokesman for the Surrey RCMP, stated, “These types of actions of hostility and intimidation against the media, or any member of the public, are just unacceptable.”
To handle the situation at the border crossing, Surrey RCMP stated they are working with provincial and federal RCMP divisions as well as the Canada Border Services Agency.
“While police appreciate the right to protest, if protest action becomes unlawful, enforcement will be taken,” Mounties added.
Source: CTV News
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