British Columbia

Chief Stewart Phillip arrested at Kinder Morgan protest

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip has been arrested at the ongoing Kinder Morgan protest on Burnaby Mountain.

First Nations leader joins more 100 protesters arrested so far at pipeline test drilling site

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is arrested by police at the Kinder Morgan protest on Burnaby Mountain on Nov. 27. (Farrah Merali/ Twitter)

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has been arrested at the ongoing Kinder Morgan protest on Burnaby Mountain.

Before his arrest, Phillip addressed a group of protesters before they marched together towards a borehole site, where he crossed a police line and was taken away by police.

"We are making a very clear public statement that we do not support the Harper and Clark governments when it comes to resources," he said before his arrest.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs prepares to cross the police line at the Kinder Morgan pipeline protest on Burnaby Mountain. (Farrah Merali/ Twitter)

Phillip said he supported Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan in his stand against the company's exploration on the mountain, adding that this would be the first time in Canadian history a local government bylaw would have been overruled on a land use issue.

"If push comes to shove, " Phillip said, "I'd be arrested in solidarity."

He spoke about how the future of his 15 grandchildren are at stake.

"I will once again be arrested. This is not the first time," he said.

"It is a matter of principle."

CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of this Sea Shepherd livestream.

Sea Shepherd is an environmental group with members taking part in the protests against Kinder Morgan's work on Burnaby Mountain.