Protesters from the Fairy Creek old-growth logging blockades say their belongings are being improperly removed and treated as garbage by industry.

The forest company operating in the area in question says most of the items in question were either in defiance of the injunction against the blockades or abandoned.

People at the blockade say the RCMP is allowing Teal Jones B次元官网网址� which owns the logging rights to Tree Farm Licence 46, including the Fairy Creek watershed B次元官网网址� to take out dumpster-loads of their belongings and dispose of them at area waste disposal facilities.

According to protester Carole Toothill, most of the items are coming from camps which are not blocking roads or directly impeding industry, and thus should be exempt from the BC Supreme Court injunction. In addition to protesters, the camps house supporters and legal observers. Kitchens and medical tents have been torn down and disposed of along with other tents and living quarters, Toothill said.

Toothill says that photos provided by the RCMP of ramshackle camps full of garbage were taken after raids, and that most of the time, the camps are well-maintained.

B次元官网网址淥verall, everything has been beautifully managed,B次元官网网址� she said.

Teal Jones says it is just cleaning up the mess protesters left behind.

B次元官网网址淭eal Jones has an obligation to keep roads in TFL 46 clear, so it has to be cleaned up, and that falls to the company. To do this, Teal Jones has contracted licensed firms to secure and return personal effects left behind at abandoned protestor camps or after arrests are made,B次元官网网址� the company said in a statement. B次元官网网址淕arbage and debris is gathered based on advice from the RCMP.

B次元官网网址淭he overwhelming majority of the material Teal Jones removes is garbage. The thousands of pounds of garbage removed by Teal JonesB次元官网网址� employees includes tarps, tires, buckets, plastic garbage, rebar, PVC pipes, wheelbarrows, spoiled food, wet clothing, diapers, personal hygiene products, lawn chairs, mattresses, used furniture and other remnants of the unauthorized camps and structures the blockaders left behind.B次元官网网址�

RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Chris Manseau said personal items taken from Fairy Creek are being stored by Teal Jones, and people need to reach out to the company in order to have it returned.

B次元官网网址漈eal Jones makes good faith efforts to remove any personal effects before disposing the garbage,B次元官网网址� the company statement said. B次元官网网址淭eal Jones has also returned personal effects in accordance with requests from the Rainforest Flying SquadB次元官网网址檚 liaisons. The process for reclaiming property is clearly communicated to blockaders.B次元官网网址�

Toothill disputes this claim and says most items are disposed of indiscriminately.

B次元官网网址淚t does not get sorted,B次元官网网址� she insisted. B次元官网网址淚t gets taken straight to the dump. WeB次元官网网址檝e probably lost tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff.B次元官网网址�

Toothill said she and her companions recognized stuff from one of the Fairy Creek camps in a dumpster at the Duncan-area Bings Creek waste facility. One of them was able to retrieve a blanket, but employees wouldnB次元官网网址檛 let them into the dumpster to retrieve the rest of the items, and police from the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment refused to help.

Manseau said that protesters have been given chances to remove their items before they are confiscated and that police have made efforts to return items when possible.

B次元官网网址淧ersons not wishing to be arrested have been given the opportunity to transport belongings left at sites for those being escorted from the area,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hrough conversations with members conducting the enforcement, items such as bags, tents, medication and even drones, that have been located have been returned to their rightful owners.B次元官网网址�

In addition to tents and other belongings, protesters say they have also had their vehicles removed and damaged by Teal Jones or its contractors.

Vehicles that are towed by Teal Jones, the protesters say, are held in private lots that arenB次元官网网址檛 designated as vehicle impound lots, and the valuables are removed. Protesters are required to pay $2,500 to get their vehicles back.

The vehicles being towed are in direct contravention of the injunction, Teal Jones said.

B次元官网网址淥nly those vehicles identified by RCMP as being illegally parked are being removed,B次元官网网址� the company stated. B次元官网网址淭he cost of retrieving vehicles reflects the expense of towing vehicles out of a remote area, storage and security, and the damage done to Teal Jones.

B次元官网网址淚n some cases vehicle owners have removed their tires, positioned their vehicle at a narrow point, and taken other steps to hinder access and make removal as difficult as possible. That strongly indicates the people parking those vehicles know theyB次元官网网址檙e doing so illegally. Obviously, anyone parking a vehicle in direct contravention of a court-ordered injunction should expect that vehicle will be towed.B次元官网网址�

Manseau said any seized vehicles are not the responsibility of the RCMP.