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Extinction Rebellion holds sit-in at Surrey mill that processes old growth timber

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Environmental activists gathered at the Teal-Jones mill in Surrey, B.C., Monday to protest the company's logging of old growth forests.

The demonstration was organized by Extinction Rebellion, the same group that’s previously shut down a number of Vancouver bridges and intersections to draw attention to environmental causes.

"Extinction Rebellion does disruptive action, so that's what we're doing here today – we're shutting down the Teal-Jones mill for the morning," member Brent Eichler told CTV News.

"We're here in support of the land defenders, of the First Nations people who are fighting to protect the land and water."

The group gathered around 8 a.m. at 104 Avenue and Trigg Road to block vehicle access to the mill, which processes some old growth timber along with second growth timber, and demand an audience with the Teal-Jones CEO.

Protesters have been blockading forestry roads in the Fairy Creek area of Vancouver Island since last summer, resulting in a B.C. Supreme Court injunction and more than 150 arrests.

Over the weekend, a group of local First Nations reached an agreement to defer all old-growth logging in the area pending the development of a long-term resource stewardship plan.

The Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht First Nations said they informed the B.C. government of their plan on Saturday.

Teal-Jones told CTV News it will adhere to the First Nations' decision.

The company previously defended its logging operations in the Fairy Creek old-growth forest area, saying it only planned to log 20 acres of the 200 hectares available for harvest. The Fair Creek watershed is said to be almost 1,200 hectares in total.

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