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Ontario Police warn of possible hwy closure due to First Nations protest near London, Ont.

October 18, 2013 11:19 AM
The Canadian Press

STRATHROY, Ont. – Police are warning motorists of potential traffic disruptions around London, Ont., on Saturday, due to a possible demonstration by First Nations protesters.

Sgt. Dave Rektor says Highway 402 near Strathroy, west of London, could be closed starting at 10 a.m., if the protesters show up as expected.

Rektor says police do not condone the protest and they are holidng discussions with organizers of the protest in hopes of finding a safer location.

The demonstration follows one on Thursday, when provincial police said 30 to 40 protesters shut down Highway 6 between Hagersville and Caledonia, southeast of Brantford.

A local news agency, Turtle Island News, said the protest by Six Nations members was held in solidarity with protests in eastern New Brunswick over shale gas exploration in that province.

About 40 people were arrested near Rexton, N.B., Thursday after RCMP say police vehicles were set on fire and Molotov cocktails were thrown at officers when they began enforcing an injunction to end a weeks-long demonstration at the site.

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