B.C. company fires trucker after cyclist jostled during Saturday's convoy

A trucking company in B.C.'s Fraser Valley has fired a driver who was allegedly behind the wheel when a truck rolled into a cyclist during last weekend's protest convoy in Vancouver.

The cyclist and several others were trying to prevent the convoy from continuing towards Vancouver General Hospital, according to another participant, who asked CTV News not to publish his name due to fear of retribution.

“As soon as (the truck driver) started rolling, we realized that he's not stopping,” he said.

“We're putting our life on the line, but if they are good, if they are peaceful, we shouldn't have to worry about that, right?”

Part of the tense incident appears to have been caught on camera.

Video posted to social media shows a cyclist blocking a semi-truck at the intersection of 12th Avenue and Ontario Street when the rig begins moving forward and jostles him, forcing him to quickly stumble out of the way.

No one in the group was seriously hurt, according to the cyclist who spoke to CTV News.

The truck driver was terminated "immediately" after Van Dokk Transport learned about the incident, owner Dustin Van Dokkumburg said Tuesday.

"Van Dokk Transport does not stand by or condone the actions taken by this driver," Van Dokkumburg told CTV News. "The actions of that driver were his and his alone."

The cyclist said they never intended for the driver to lose his job, but that others contacted the company after seeing the video.

“The community was outraged by it,” he said, adding that “there are consequences for people's actions.”

Authorities confirmed the incident was also reported to police and is under investigation.

Sgt. Steve Addison of the Vancouver Police Department said investigators will be considering a number of factors, including "who had the right of way, how long the light was green, whether words or threats were exchanged, and whether anyone was injured."

"This is one example of many from the weekend where people engaged in reckless behavior," Addison said in an email. "While it’s never a good idea to stand in oncoming traffic, it’s also very unsafe to slow roll through an intersection when a protester is standing in front of your big rig."

The cyclist admitted the light had turned green when the truck started moving, but he doesn’t believe his group was in the wrong.

“We were in the intersection before. You wouldn't progress if someone was crossing the street, even if they were jaywalking,” he said. “This doesn't give you the right to drive into someone.”

The VPD said it's aware of numerous recordings of conflicts between protest groups on Saturday, and encouraged anyone who wants to report an incident to do so.