Media vehicle, camera seized by New Brunswick shale gas protesters

REXTON, N.B. – The news director for Global New Brunswick says a group of about five protesters in Rexton, N.B., has seized a news vehicle and camera.

Jim Haskins says reporter Laura Brown was at the site of the shale gas protest around noon when the protesters confronted another media outlet and seized a vehicle.

Haskins says Brown got into her vehicle and locked the door, but was threatened by the protesters and told to get out of the vehicle and leave it.

He says Brown refused at first, but felt the situation became unsafe and unstable.

Haskins says Brown left the vehicle, locked it and walked away.

He says Brown is safe at an RCMP detachment and is giving a statement to police.

The RCMP could not immediately be reached for comment.

Haskins, who is based in Halifax, says he’s getting mixed messages from the scene about whether the vehicle will be released by protesters.