Thirteen pro-Palestinian agitators have been charged with mischief after blocking train tracks in East Vancouver to stage a protest earlier this year.A total of 14 people were arrested at the time for mischief and obstruction.According to the Vancouver Police Department, the BC Prosecution Service approved the charges on Monday following an investigation by the force. The 13 accused, who are are adults, will appear in court on September 9.The incident in question took place around 11 a.m. on May 31 near Kaslo Street along the main railway line which runs parallel to Grandview Highway. When police arrived on scene, they repeatedly asked the protestors to move, at which point "some members in the group became hostile." .Footage showed police moving in to get protestors off the road and train tracks before proceeding to make arrests. Many struggled with officers as they were handcuffed."Unlawful protests that block vital infrastructure put peoples' safety at risk," Const. Tania Visintin said at the time. "Our officers worked quickly, with help from CN Police and Metro Vancouver Transit Police, to prevent a prolonged blockade on the train tracks and to keep traffic moving."This is not the first time protestors have chosen that particular intersection to hold a demonstration. As the CBC reports, in February 2020 dozens gathered in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en chiefs who opposed the Coastal GasLink pipeline project. They blocked the railway line, causing disruptions to Amtrak passenger service, but no arrests were made. A year later, a similar protest took place, resulting in two arrests.
