Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 | Last Update : 05:59 PM IST

  Anti-pipeline protestor tosses pumpkin seeds at Canada's Trudeau

Anti-pipeline protestor tosses pumpkin seeds at Canada's Trudeau

REUTERS
Published : Oct 22, 2016, 1:33 pm IST
Updated : Oct 22, 2016, 1:33 pm IST

The woman later told the CBC she was protesting about plans to expand an oil pipeline that runs through Hamilton.

AA Justin Trudeau.jpeg
 AA Justin Trudeau.jpeg

The woman later told the CBC she was protesting about plans to expand an oil pipeline that runs through Hamilton.

Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is usually greeted by cheering crowds when he goes out in public but received a less pleasant welcome in Hamilton on Friday – a handful of pumpkin seeds thrown by a green activist.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp said the woman shoved past reporters and threw the seeds at Trudeau before police wrestled her to the ground. Trudeau, who appeared unharmed, was hustled into his car.

The woman later told the CBC she was protesting about plans to expand an Enbridge Inc oil pipeline that runs through Hamilton, a city some 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Toronto.

"I did it because I care, and I didn't know how else to get my point across," said the woman, who identified herself as Ute Schmid-Jones.

The CBC said Hamilton police had released her without charge. Police in the town were not available for comment.

Trudeau's Liberal government is under increasing pressure from environmentalists to block major pipeline projects by Enbridge, Kinder Morgan Inc. and TransCanada Corp.

Trudeau's office did not respond directly when asked about the incident, saying in a statement that he "travels the country to meet with Canadians and have conversations with them".