Victoria protesters remain peaceful after pledging to shut down B.C. government offices

Protesters rallied peacefully outside a number of government buildings in Victoria onFriday as aninjunction barring people from blocking access, roadways and doors to the B.C. Legislature came into effect.

Supporters of the Wet'suwet'enhereditary chiefs who oppose the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline through their traditional territory in northern B.C. had pledged to disrupt government operations across the provincial capital.

Gatherings witnessed by CBC reporters atabouta dozenseparate locations were low key, with protesters holding signs and bannerswhile chanting, singing and waving at passing cars.

An estimated 30 sites were targeted by the protest groups, which ranged in size from 20 to 100 people.

WATCH | Wet'suwet'en supporters stage peaceful protests in Victoria:

"When I say land, you say back!"

5 years ago

Duration 0:32

Wet'suwet'en supporters rally outside B.C. government buildings in Victoria.

Federal Green Party justice critic David Mernerjoined demonstrators outside the Ministry of the Attorney General.

"It's not at all an adversarial picket," said Merner. "It's a friendly picket."

Gloria Filax travelled from Gabriola Island to Victoria tosupport the Wet'suwet'en chiefs.

"I just think there's a critical mass of things happening andissues coming together,'' she said outside the Ministry of
Environment building. "It's about reconciliation and thedisappointment in what our provincial and federal governments arenot doing.''

Victoria police say the protest ended in the early afternoon.

Today's action was in contrast to Tuesday's protest, when dozens of people blocked the entrances to the legislature for the throne speech and launch of the Legislative Assembly's spring session.

Workers in the buildings appeared to be coming and going as normal today, although it also appeared many elected to stay home.Only a handful of protesters were seen on the grounds of the legislature buildings.

The legislature injunction order was granted Thursday in B.C. Supreme Court in response to an application fromSpeaker of the HouseDarryl Plecas.

The order gives the officers who provide securityat the legislature the power to arrest and remove anyone who is "interfering, disturbing or disrupting [the legislature's] business ... and proper functioning,"including on public roads.

It also bars interferencewith closed-circuit television cameras.

The injunction does not cover other government buildings in the Victoria area.

Before the injunction was issued, activists said they would attempt to shut down the bulk of the provincial civil service for the day, but promised the protests wouldbe peaceful.