Goons Attack Bear Mountain Pacifist Protest
by Zoe Blunt
 Over two hundred men, most apparently construction contractors, attacked a small rally in Langford this morning in an ugly show of aggression and violence.
Shortly after 7 am, the mob that included Bear Mountain project manager Les Bjola stormed a smaller rally against the interchange. The mob shoved and kicked several people, tore up all the group's banners and signs, and threw hot coffee and debris at the demonstrators while shouting obscenities and abuse for almost an hour.
A handful of RCMP officers arrived on the scene after thirty minutes and intervened between the two groups. The protestors refused to beprovoked by fist-waving and taunts, and responded by singing "We Shall Not Be Moved," "We Shall Overcome" and "My Roots Go Down."
At around 8 am, the men left the area and returned to their job
sites at Bear Mountain Resort and elsewhere, witnesses said. Police
made no arrests and apparently did not issue warnings or take names of
people who committed assaults in their presence.
- "From what
we've heard, this was an organized attack that was planned days in
advance," said activist Zoe Blunt. "Two sources have confirmed that
these men were offered overtime to show up here and intimidate people
and try to shut down our rally."
People who were assaulted are
considering legal action against the individuals responsible and the
specific companies that sent them to the site, Blunt said.
Word
came today that some of Bear Mountain's equipment was vandalized last
night, and that the managers apparently blamed those campaigning
against the interchange.
- "Today in broad daylight, we were
standing here by the highway and we were attacked by two hundred men
and two women who destroyed our property and assaulted people. And they
want you to believe that we are vandals. It's ridiculous," said
activist Zoe Blunt. "I don't believe any of our people would damage
equipment. Each of these people signed a pledge to respect private
property and other people and that is what they did. There was no
violence here today because we were able to defuse and deflect the
aggression that was directed at us."
- "Who are the vandals here?
Isn't it possible Bear Mountain's equipment was sabotaged by their own
contractors?" Blunt asked. "Maybe some of them are as disgusted with
the project as we are."
Two anonymous sources tipped off the
environmentalists about the planned disruption of today's rally.
The
Spaet Mountain Action Coalition, an ad hoc group working to preserve
rare ecosystems and First Nations caves in Langford, asks that people
connected with Bear Mountain use our Bear Mountain Tip Line to prevent
future bad behaviour.
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