24-hour sit-in protest at Kitsilano Coast Guard Station over planned closure ends Saturday September 15 at 5 p.m. - support rally outside the station

VANCOUVER, Sept. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - A group of protesters will end their 24-hour sit-in against the planned federal government closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station at 5 p.m. Saturday by leaving to greet supporters gathered outside the Station.

The protest began Friday September 14 with protestors arriving by boat at the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station dock to draw public attention to the enormous danger closing the Station would have, leaving all rescues in Vancouver harbour to the Sea Island Station in Richmond, 17 nautical miles and 35 minutes away.

The event was sparked after the federal government ignored a report saying lives would be lost if the station is closed as planned.

The report written in July by Maritime Coordinators of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria states that the closure "will endanger the lives of mariners" and "may lead to increased casualties since the numbers of incidents is great in this area" because of the "additional time to respond" to emergencies on the water.

The protestors are a group of concerned members of Vancouver harbour's fishing, tug boat and pleasure boat community, as well as union leaders who represent workers at the Station.

SOURCE: Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Media Contacts: Patrick Bragg, PSAC Communications, cell: 778 889 3486
Bill Tieleman, West Star Communication, cell: 778-896-0964