Criminal charges are being levied against 15 of 27 individuals arrested while opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline project last year.
In April, CGL lawyer Kevin O’Callaghan invited the Prosecution Service to press criminal charges for violating an injunction covering the work site.
BC Supreme Court Justice Marguerite Church then issued the invitation, marking the third time she has invited criminal charges related to the injunction.
In each of the previous two attempts, prosecutors decided not to press criminal charges, stating that it was not in the best public interest to pursue.
But, prosecutors did leave the door open for CGL to pursue civil contempt charges, following the most recent proceedings last November.
O’Callaghan argued, however, that the act of public defiance means the incidents more fit the bill of criminal contempt.
Now, the Prosecution Service plans to prosecute 15 land defenders, and have requested an extra four weeks to determine whether or not to prosecute 10 more.
Criminal charges will not be pursued against two of those arrested for setting up blockades in support of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs.
CGL has signed agreements with 20 elected councils along the pipeline route, but the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs maintain that jurisdiction over non-reserve lands lies with them, and not the elected leadership.
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