Mais bien sûr!
For the past several weeks, anti-fracking activists have been blocking a highway in Rexton, New Brunswick, in order to disrupt the work of SWN Resources Canada, which conducts natural gas and oil exploration. Police showed up at the scene this morning to enforce a court injunction:
The injunction authorizes police to arrest and remove anyone contravening the order to allow traffic to pass on the highway for SWN Resources employees to access their vehicles and conduct exploration work without harassment. However, with negotiations taking place between the two sides, the RCMP didn’t immediately enforce the injunction.
Once the police arrived, however, things escalated quickly. Video journalist Ossie Michelin has been on the scene:
Police enforce injunction at barricade against #fracking. day before a counter injunction was to be launched. pic.twitter.com/HxKgAHqX6R
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Angry #Elsipogtog residents gather in front of police blockade as anti #fracking activists arrested @APTNNews pic.twitter.com/3k2yAYdVz4
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Sand off happening now at anti fracking barricade @aptnnews more to come. pic.twitter.com/u7kTFcYLC3
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
More police cars push through angry protestors at anti #fracking blockade in #rexton #nb @aptnnews pic.twitter.com/x0ojZbQtBT
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Elders drum pray and cry as police arrest the anti #fracking barricade @aptnnews pic.twitter.com/ibwpPpYIzr
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Drumming, cursing, crying and barking police dogs echo through the air as protestors clash with police at #route134
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
#Elsipogtog police try to talk to protestors in #rexton pic.twitter.com/900uFdbQxs
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Crowds swell outside police barricade. Everyone wondering what's happening to loved ones at the barricade as the injunction is served.
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Eye witness report from the #barricades rcmp guns drawn, safeties off, molotov cocktails thrown from
Both sides Very tense very dangerous.— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Police and protestors shove as drummers sing the #mikmaq honour song pic.twitter.com/YiCYPoP8sr
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
More arrests as mi'kmaq form blockade around police. Preventing their vehicles from leaving. pic.twitter.com/cGqlpCWjhN
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Chief Aaron sock smudges before addressing crowd at police barricade @APTNNews pic.twitter.com/OI2L6xWf4J
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
RCMP FN negotiator says if ppl remain calm & clear the road they will release woman arrested at police barricade. pic.twitter.com/yPwIgtwheG
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Cars stretch as far as the eye can see as more and more people arrive to confront the police & show solidarity. pic.twitter.com/m7NfPhDjVs
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Police line dissolves Protestors approach barricade in song pic.twitter.com/wg6QedmmsB
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Mi'kmaq run and walk to edge of anti fracking barricade. Police line falters @APTNNews pic.twitter.com/HCTjSP2yD3
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Tear gas and sage smoke fill the air.
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Police seize Amy Sock as she waves a white flag tryig to Get across Mi'kmaq erupt in anger. pic.twitter.com/WzFWaRNVqx
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Dozens of police office form the new line the site of the anti #fracking batricade only a few hundred feet away. pic.twitter.com/sRmCT24Umx
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Camo police: "crown land belongs to the government not to f*cking natives"
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Tensions flare as the police line advances. Police tear gassing the crowd. pic.twitter.com/3WrjsdA2EA
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
But tensions weren’t the only things flaring:
Police car on fire as police lose control of anti #fracking blockade. pic.twitter.com/MTmkY5arSF
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Of course! When all else fails, set cars on fire.
Blue skies turn black in #Rexton NB as 6 RCMP cars burn at any #fracking blockade. pic.twitter.com/5uyG4QancU
— Ossie Michelin ❄️ (@Osmich) October 17, 2013
Four more vehicles burning near #Rexton #Elsipogtog, very close to our CBC van (Photo: Gilles Boudreau) #NB pic.twitter.com/M4KMYdIuaW
— Karin Reid-LeBlanc (@ReidLeBlancCBC) October 17, 2013
RCMP patrol cars on fire in #Rexton. Two pic.twitter.com/f63xjQZ5ZK #elsipogtog
— Heather Marsh (@GeorgieBC) October 17, 2013
6 police cars on fire in #Rexton #nbpoli Maybe their new boss (swn) will buy them some more. pic.twitter.com/i6eWulviHt
— Pamela Ross (@plrsTweet) October 17, 2013
A total of six vehicles burned today – all of them RCMP. #Rexton #Elsipogtog
— Karin Reid-LeBlanc (@ReidLeBlancCBC) October 17, 2013
This is what civility looks like.
Damned anarchist tea partiers. RT @Osmich: Police car on fire as police lose control of anti #fracking blockade. pic.twitter.com/4g4NIW7yuq
— David Freddoso (@freddoso) October 17, 2013
Tea Partiers, pissed at the government opening up, torch a police car. pic.twitter.com/fnrzSwVkmJ No, wait. Those are anti-fracking loons.
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 17, 2013
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