Dancing demonstrators: Labrador Land Protector group breaks it down on second day of protest
'They may think they've killed our spirits. They can never ever do that!' group says in video’s caption
Muskrat Falls protesters were showing off their moves Tuesday afternoon outside the Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
They posted a video on Facebook of group members dancing to Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones.
"They may think they've killed our spirits," the video's caption reads, referring to the provincial government.
"They can never ever do that!"
The group — who call themselves Labrador Land Protectors — is in its second day of blocking access to the Happy Valley-Goose Bay building, which also houses the premier's office.
Dancing and determined
"Even in resistance we know the value and importance of laughter and dancing," the post said.
"We are peaceful, we are family and we are determined to save our river and downstream people."
In January, the group struck a deal with the province that they wouldn't block access to the building if lines of communication were kept open.
The group said government has gone back on its side of the deal, but the province doesn't believe it has.
Three Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs employees just arrived to go to work. Labrador Land Protectors group turned them away <a href="https://t.co/80GAA8QYYU">pic.twitter.com/80GAA8QYYU</a>
—@KatieBreenNLProvince reacts
"Premier Ball engaged land protector Beatrice Hunter directly in a conversation that was publicly live streamed by land protectors and covered by news media just last week," a spokesperson for the premier said in a statement to CBC News.
"Additionally, when Premier Ball visited Mud Lake in recent weeks, he engaged in a Q&A that involved local residents and land protectors at that time."
Group setting up outside government offices again this morning. Province says it's deciding on next steps for protesters <a href="https://t.co/7FzUc7c3pN">pic.twitter.com/7FzUc7c3pN</a>
—@KatieBreenNLThe same spokesperson also said workers being blocked from their offices by protesters have been completing their tasks from alternate locations, creating no disruption to the public service work usually conducted from the Happy Valley-Goose Bay offices.
Demands
Protesters are calling for water to be immediately released from the Muskrat Falls reservoir to mitigate the amount of methylmercury released into the downstream ecosystem.
Nalcor has said the water will be held until next month for safety reasons.
The group is also asking for a forensic audit of the North Spur, which it believes will uncover stability issues with the natural dam part of the megaproject.
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