HAPPENING NOW: Greenpeace Canada launches aerial blockade of Trans Mountain oil tanker traffic

3 July 2018 (VANCOUVER / UNCEDED COAST SALISH TERRITORY) — Greenpeace Canada has just launched an aerial blockade of Trans Mountain tar sands oil tanker traffic. Seven climbers are now rappelling from the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge in Vancouver, while five additional climbers support them from the bridge’s catwalk.

The blockade is an act of peaceful resistance to the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline and tanker project (TMX). It comes on the heels of months of escalating resistance led by Indigenous communities and supporters across Canada and around the world. The climbers are currently in the path of the tar sands oil tanker, Serene Sea, which is currently docked at the terminal. The tanker was scheduled to leave port this morning, but is now being blocked from leaving by the climbers.

A press release and photos will follow later this morning.

WHO: 12 climbers hailing from the Coast Salish community, multiple Canadian provinces and beyond Canada, who are opposed to TMX and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s planned buyout of the failing project abandoned by Kinder Morgan in May.

WHEN: HAPPENING NOW.

WHERE: The blockade is best viewable from  this park location off Bridgeway Street, just west of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge on the south side of the inlet (dropped pin location). The blockade can also be viewed from New Brighton Park, which can accommodate some parking nearby. Spokespeople will be available at the park location off Bridgeway Street noted above. Climbers are also available for interviews post 9 AM PST. A boat is being made available for press members to get closer to the blockade for photo shoots and B-roll. To book a place on the media boat, please contact Greenpeace Canada (see below).

MEDIA BOAT:  A boat is being made available for press members to get closer to the blockade for photo shoots and B-roll. To book a place on boat, please contact Greenpeace Canada (see contacts below).

INTERVIEWS:  Spokespeople will be available at the park location dropped pin. Climbers will be available for interviews, via phone or skype, after 09:00 A.M. PDT. Please contact us below to book interviews.

PHOTOS:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeace_canada/albums/72157698142848584

 

HI-RES PHOTOS, VIDEO AND B-ROLL TO BE ADDED LATER IN THE DAY:

https://media.greenpeace.org/collection/27MZIFJWLMBUH

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For further information, visual assets and interviews, please contact:

To schedule media boat tours or interviews in English:

Jesse Firempong at 778-996-6549.

To schedule media boat tours or interviews in French:

Loujain Kurdi, 514-577-6657, [email protected].