Vancouver, Canada – It has been 30 hours since climbers began their ascent yesterday to form a 12-person blockade on Vancouver’s Ironworkers Memorial Bridge in Canada to prevent the oil tanker Serene Sea from leaving Kinder Morgan’s Westridge Marine Terminal. The tar sands oil tanker has pulled away from the terminal and is sitting at anchor. Seven climbers remain suspended on the bridge, while the remaining five climbers are supporting and reinforcing the blockade on the bridge catwalk.

“It’s always a beautiful day to stand up and protect the water but waking up this morning with 11 other brave defenders as we enter hour 30 of our aerial blockade of a tar sands oil tanker to protest the Trans Mountain and its expansion, is truly breathtaking. Seeing these beautiful waters and watching that gorgeous sunrise, you know that people will never stop fighting to protect them. Prime Minister Trudeau: you’re currently on the wrong side of history on this one. It is time to live up to your promises on climate change and Indigenous reconciliation,” said Mike Hudema, a Greenpeace Canada campaigner and climber from Alberta currently suspended in mid-air for the blockade.

“Hundreds of thousands have lent their voices from around the world, hundreds have been arrested, and now seven incredibly courageous activists and Indigenous leaders hang from a bridge for the second day. Our future hangs in the balance if we don’t stop fossil fuel extraction, as does the health of these precious waterways, and the communities and wildlife depending on them. Mr. Trudeau, this resistance will only grow: do the courageous thing and stop this pipeline,” said Joanna Kerr, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada.

Greenpeace is calling on 12 global banks to not finance dangerous oil and gas pipelines, including three proposed pipelines that would expand Canada’s tar sands (TMX, TransCanada’s Keystone XL, Enbridge’s Line 3) and those proposed by Energy Transfer Partners, which has launched a meritless USD $900 million lawsuit against Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace International and other groups, designed to intimidate and silence critics. More than 200,000 people from around the world have joined the campaign.

ENDS

Photos and videos:

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

Contacts:

Jesse Firempong, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Canada: +1 778-996-6549, jesse.firempong@greenpeace.org

Leola Abraham, Global Communications lead, Greenpeace USA: +1 202-413-8930, Leola.Abraham@greenpeace.org

Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org