A week-long blockade at the McLeod Lake Indian Band office ended Monday morning when RCMP arrested five protesters.
RCMP acted on a Supreme Court injunction issued last week ordering the blockade to be removed and said the arrests were made without incident.
"The RCMP respects the right to lawful protests, however, in saying this, if the protest is no longer peaceful or lawful the police will need to mitigate the circumstances." said North District RCMP Cst. Lesley Smith.
Those arrested were transported to Prince George and to appear before a Supreme Court Justice at the courthouse.
Four of the protesters were arrested in relation to a Supreme Court arrest warrant and one protester for allegedly disobeying the Supreme Court civil injunction order.
Three community elders and two other protesters, who were also under a Supreme Court warrant, turned themselves over to the Prince George Supreme Court to answer to their involvement with the blockade.
The protesters have been at odds with the band's chief and council, largely over the financial proceeds from a revenue-sharing agreement with Thompson Creek Metals, which is building the Mount Milligan gold and copper mine between Mackenzie and Fort St. James.
Chief Derek Orr did not return a request for comment Monday.
