Another blockade started on southbound Hwy. 4 after a long lineup of semis and farm equipment were denied access to join protesters in Coutts at an RCMP checkpoint early Thursday morning..The Western Standard’s James Finkbeiner said there were more than 150 vehicles lined up at the RCMP checkpoint just south of Milk River, Alta..As a sign of good faith Wednesday, protesters opened the highway at the Coutts blockade to allow for commercial vehicles to pass in both directions..In exchange, organizers said they requested RCMP let other vehicles past the Milk River checkpoint to join the protest and they would leave one lane in each direction open..As the night wore on and more commercial vehicles passed through the Coutts blockade in both directions, organizers grew more frustrated the others were not being permitted to cross the RCMP checkpoint and join the Coutts protest, said Finkbeiner..Approximately 3 a.m. Thursday, protesters at the Milk River RCMP checkpoint decided to “hold the line,” according to Finkbeiner, and moved vehicles into position to block all southbound lanes of Hwy. 4..RCMP confirmed to the Western Standard a southbound blockade is now in place at the junction of Hwy. 501 in Milk River, approximately 15 km north of the original blockade in Coutts..More to come….Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
