Climate change protesters crash Harper event in Vancouver
By Lauren Strapagiel
A pair of protesters managed to break through Stephen Harper’s security detail at an event in Vancouver Monday, getting to within inches of the prime minister.
Harper was about to take questions at the Vancouver Board of Trade when the two protesters walked on to the stage holding signs reading “Climate Justice Now,” and “Conservatives Take Climate Change Seriously.”
According to some tweeters, the protesters were wearing aprons and may have been trying to appear like event staff. If true, that means the way to thwart Harper’s security detail is to take cues from Scooby Doo.
One of the activists, Sean Devlin, told the Canadian Press the pair bought the outfits for $7 each at a thrift shop.
“We just happened to be wearing black dress shirts and black pants and black aprons that we bought at Value Village, and we simply walked into the hotel,” Devlin said in an interview.
“As soon as we entered the room, people seemed to be treating us like we were supposed to be there. It was quite easy.”
The protesters were removed from the stage as Harper quipped that “It wouldn’t be B.C. without it.” The two were released without charges.