Greenpeace activists appear in Park court
Posted By Michael Di Massa News Staff
Posted 17 days ago
Sixteen Greenpeace activists arrested in early October while trespassing at the Shell Scotford upgrader site made their first appearance in court on Tuesday.
No pleas were entered, as court documents related to the case were not previously provided.
The hearing was continued to Dec. 2 at 9:30 a.m., when the accused are expected to plead not guilty.
Technically, it was their legal representation, not the accused themselves, who appeared in Sherwood Park Provincial Court. Many of those accused live elsewhere in Canada and as far away as Brazil and The Netherlands.
Appearing on his clients' behalf, attorney Brian Beresh informed the court that his office has not yet received disclosure and asked for a one-month continuance.
Also during the hearing, Judge John Maher amended a prohibited order, keeping the accused from coming no closer than 100 metres of the Shell Scotford upgrader site.
Previously, a justice of the peace had issued a similar prohibition, but at varying distances (some as far as 1,000 metres) for each of the accused, Beresh said.
All accused are also required to do phone-call check-ins with the Strathcona County RCMP detachment between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Fridays of every month.
On Oct. 3, 16 members of the Greenpeace organization gained entry onto the Shell Scotford upgrader site as an act of protest against the oil industry.
"Greenpeace is occupying the upgrader in the heart of what many affected land owners call 'cancer alley' to continue exposing the climate crimes associated with producing dirty, dangerous and destructive tar sands oil," said Melina Laboucan-Massimo, a Greenpeace campaigner, during the incident.
Most protestors attached themselves to structures on the property, but three were immediately arrested by Strathcona County RCMP.
Protestors gained access to the property on Oct. 3 at 5 a.m. Although some protestors were arrested later that day, the final arrests didn't happen until about 5 a.m. the following day.
The Greenpeace protest at the Shell site in northern Strathcona County was preceded by other organized protests in the Fort McMurray area.
Suncor has since sued Greenpeace for an estimated $1.5 million in civil damages after the pro-environment organization held protests at Suncor's oilsands site in September.
mdimassa@sherwoodparknews.com
