Protesters defy injunction, cross highway at Muskrat Falls site in Labrador

Anti-Muskrat Falls protests escalated in Labrador on Wednesday night, as about 80 people rebuked a court injunction and blocked traffic from the project site.

• 'I wasn't supposed to be arrested': Muskrat Falls protester claims no wrongdoing
• Nalcor ordered to increase clearing at Muskrat Falls reservoir

Protesters began intermittently blocking traffic at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, crossing over the Trans-Labrador Highway to the main Muskrat Falls gate where nine people were arrested Monday morning. Some remained on Wednesday night, setting up camp in front of the main gate.

Workers were eventually allowed to leave the site.

Wednesday is the fifth day of consecutive protest against the Muskrat Falls project. 

Earlier Wednesday, the provincial government made some concessions to the Muskrat Falls protestors by ordering Nalcor to clear more trees from the reservoir zone in an attempt to calm concerns about methylmercury contamination.

But many in Labrador said the new measures still don't go far enough.

Police are in the area and are recording the protesters, but so far no arrests have been made.

The demonstration explicitly breaks the terms of a court injunction which was delivered Sunday night. The court order forbids protestors from standing on the Muskrat Falls project site, or encouraging anyone else to do so.