Opponents of old-growth logging have begun a hunger strike in downtown Vancouver

Opponents of old-growth logging on southern Vancouver Island say they've begun a hunger strike in downtown Vancouver.

Extinction Rebellion spokesman Zain Haq says the hunger strike is in support of protesters camped near old-growth forest logging areas west of Victoria, which have been the scene of more than 220 arrests in recent weeks at Fairy Creek.

Haq says the hunger strikers will refuse food until they can meet with Premier John Horgan, Forests Minister Katrine Conroy and Jonathan Wilkinson, the federal minister of environment and climate change.

Last week, the BC government approved the request of three Vancouver Island First Nations to defer old-growth logging in their territories for two years, but the protests are continuing.

Extinction Rebellion Vancouver on Twitter:

Hunger strike for old growth, Day 1.

"I am refusing to put food in my body because we are facing mass starvation in a matter of decades, due to the impacts of the climate and ecological emergency"

Full letter to

@jjhorgan

@KatrineConroy

&

@JonathanWNV

: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-fAZZHkeZny3NYfuJDPR1OvPanVERTg461gwJUO6wxI/edit