The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Houston, British Columbia, has released footage of an attack on a gas pipeline construction site by extremists that caused millions of dollars worth of damages last week.
The footage was released by the RCMP in hopes that members of the public will be able to identify those who took part in the attack, which took place last week on Thursday, February 17, in a rural area of northern BC. The first video showed two people armed with axes walking to a vehicle. Several construction vehicles were heavily damaged in the attack at the Coastal Gas Link (CGL) camp near Houston.
“Video footage obtained by investigators show several people, some armed with axes; storm the property, attack a company vehicle while an employee was inside the truck,” the RCMP said in a press release on Tuesday.
“The unknown individuals, who were similarly dressed, swung axes at the vehicle; spray painted the window and ignited what is suspected to be a flare gun. Thankfully, the CGL employees were not physically harmed,” police added.
The second video shows suspects running up to a pick-up truck and attacking it with a hammer before the truck drives away, while the third video shows attackers swinging axes, spray painting, firing flare guns and flashing a strobe light. All of the attackers wear very similar clothing in the videos.
Police say that around 20 people took part in the attack, which saw security guards attacked, as well as a member of the RCMP who was injured after the attackers threw smoke bombs and lit fire sticks at officers.
“Upon police attendance at the 41 km mark, the roadway had been blocked with downed trees, tar covered stumps, wire, boards with spikes in them, and fires had been lit throughout the debris. As police worked their way through the debris and traps, several people threw smoke bombs and fire lit sticks at the police, injuring one officer,” the RCMP stated last week.
“This is a very troubling escalation in violent criminal activity that could have resulted in serious injury or death. This was a calculated and organized violent attack that left its victims shaken and a multimillion-dollar path of destruction,” RCMP Chief Superintendent Warren Brown, North District Commander said.
The attack was later condemned by leftist Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who stated, “This violence is unacceptable, and this intimidation is inexcusable. I strongly condemn this behaviour – in Canada, this is not how we express our differences or advance our causes.”
Some criticised Trudeau, who invoked the Emergencies Act last week to clear the peaceful Freedom Convoy protests from Ottawa but has made no similar actions regarding the pipeline attacks. Trudeau continues to utilize emergency powers at press time despite both the Freedom Convoy border blockades and the Ottawa protest having come to an end.
“Will the Trudeau Liberals declare this terrorism and use the Emergencies Act to seize bank accounts and homes or turn a blind eye to this again? Shocking,” Canadian journalist Brian Lilley said prior to Trudeau’s comments on the attack.
As part of the Emergencies Act, the Trudeau government has frozen the bank accounts of many who helped organise the Freedom Convoy protests, those who took part in the protests and also allegedly those who donated even small sums to the fundraiser for the Freedom Convoy.