Skip to content

UPDATE: No arrests made after man hit by vehicle on street outside Victoria courthouse

Incident occurred just after 6 p.m. Wednesday following old growth logging demonstration
25909105_web1_210720-vne-demonstrator-struck--_1
Demonstrators supporting old-growth logging blockades in the Fairy Creek area said a man with them was struck by a vehicle on Blanshard Street, outside the provincial courthouse on July 21. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria police made no arrests after a collision between a demonstrator and a vehicle in the street outside the provincial courthouse on Wednesday.

On July 21, demonstrators supporting old-growth logging blockades in the Fairy Creek area said a man with them was struck by a vehicle on Blanshard Street near Courtenay Street.

Shortly after the incident, the demonstrators told Black Press Media they had formed a line in the right traffic lane on Blanshard Street and were abiding by police direction to not to cross into the left-hand northbound lane. They said the man was hit just after 6 p.m.

Police and ambulance crews were outside the courthouse at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

In an update on Thursday, Victoria police said officers were monitoring the group when they moved from the sidewalk to the northbound lane and “one of the protesters made contact with a vehicle that was travelling northbound at low speed.”

One demonstrator, who only identified themself as Grandma, said they were about to lead a solidarity song when the incident occurred. Other demonstrators said they didn’t see the man get hit, but did see him rolling uncontrollably on the road.

Grandma said the vehicle involved looked like an older white car and that officers quickly stopped it. VicPD said Thursday they spoke with the vehicle driver, the man who was struck and witnesses after the incident.

Police said their investigators have no indication that the driver hit the man intentionally and aren’t aware of “conflict between the parties before the collision.”

The man who was struck initially declined medical treatment, police said, before he accepted and was taken to hospital for evaluation.

The old-growth forest proponents were at the legislature earlier in the afternoon before the group of about 30 to 40 people made their way to the courthouse.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact VicPD at 250-995-7654, ext. 1, or report anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

READ: Cyclist with Airsoft handgun arrested in Saanich for breaching terms of probation


Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.