The OPP is contradicting Simcoe County’s reports of a blockade at Site 41.
The County said in a new release Thursday that 12 people wearing black bandanas over their faces blocked the landfill entrances and said they would let work trucks out at the end of the day, but wouldn’t let them back in this morning.
OPP Constable Mark Kinney says there were only 3 people who were not wearing bandanas blocking an entrance yesterday afternoon and after negotiations with police, two left their post while a third stood his ground.
Kinney says 55 year old Michael Schmidt, a Durham milk farmer who has been in court to fight to continue selling raw milk, has been charged with mischief.
He has a court date of October 8th.
Kinney also confirms workers were allowed onto the site this morning with no problems.
He says there are two people at the main entrance, but they aren’t blocking the roads or preventing trucks from getting in and out.
Protestors continue to camp out on farm land across from the landfill.
This arrest brings to 18 the number of arrests made in the ongoing protest.
Meanwhile, the Stop Dump Site 41 group is demanding a retraction from Simcoe County regarding the news release it sent out yesterday.
The group, in its own news release issued Friday, says the county’s statement yesterday was quote: inflammatory, libelous and racially stereotyping.
Spokersperson for the group, Kate Harries, says according to one of the protestors who was at Gate 2 all day, only dairy farmer Michael Schmidt blocked the one entrance and was arrested three hours later.
The protestor also says a person wearing a bandana was on a bicycle on the road, but the person wasn’t part of any blockade.